Solar Day: Sunrise
by YoAngel4E
Summary: Set seven years after Breaking Dawn. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: First in my own series set after Breaking Dawn. Set seven years after Breaking Dawn. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**Prologue **

The Cullen's had been living in peace for a few short months after the run in with the Volturi and that was why Carlisle could not believe he was standing on Charlie Swan's front porch with his little granddaughter, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, asleep in his arms. He knew he had little time before Bella and Edward came back from their hunt, so he could not hesitate to step inside Charlie's house when the door swung open.

"Carlisle?" Charlie was surprised to see the doctor on his porch, holding Renesmee. "What...what's going on?"

"I need to come in." Carlisle stated.

Charlie stepped aside and allowed Carlisle into his house. Carlisle quickly moved into the living room, placing the still sleeping Renesmee on the couch. "Charlie, this is all going to sound ridiculous and…well…I just had no one else I could trust."

"Slow down there, Carlisle." Charlie put his hands up. He had never seen the doctor like this. "What are you talking about?"

"Renesmee is not safe with us any longer." Carlisle spoke sadly as his eyes drifted to his sleeping granddaughter. "I need you to take her, and take care of her."

"Me? What?" Charlie was confused. "Why me? What is going on here?"

"Can we sit down?" Carlisle asked, knowing his time with Charlie was limited.

"Sure." Charlie moved into the kitchen with Carlisle and both men sat down at the table. "Now, slow down here. Why does Renesmee need to stay here?"

"Charlie, you know my family and I…and Bella…we are different." Carlisle started. "And you know we aren't wolves."

"Right." Charlie nodded.

"But we are something, equally as dangerous and destructible." Carlisle took a deep breath. "We are…vampires."

"What?" Charlie raised an eyebrow, slightly pushing away from the table. He couldn't say he was completely shocked, nothing could really shock him anymore.

"We are not dangerous, we drink animal blood." Carlisle stated. "But it doesn't mean others of our kind are not. That is why Renesmee can no longer stay with our family. The Volturi…they are leaders of some kind in our world…it seems that they are after Renesmee's blood. They met her a few months ago and at first showed no interest, but now…it seems they have other plans." Carlisle thought back to the vision Alice had described to him in confidence, of Aro biting Renesmee in the neck until the child went limp in his arms. He could not allow that to happen to his granddaughter, and that was why he was sitting at Charlie Swan's table now.

"Why?" Charlie asked. He had grown very fond of Renesmee and could not imagine someone wanting to hurt her. Surprisingly, the idea of the little girl being hurt bothered Charlie more than knowing now that Bella was a vampire.

"Because she is special. Renesmee is not a vampire, Charlie, she is only half vampire. Her human half pumps blood, and apparently a very rare blood." Carlisle explained. "The Volturi will come for her as long as she is with us because they can track us. That is why she can no longer stay with our family. She will die if she does."

"But what does any of this have to do with me?" Charlie asked, unsure of how he could really help.

"Charlie, Renesmee is your granddaughter." Carlisle said, giving his words a minute to sink in.

And they took a minute to sink in, as Charlie sat there, his jaw slightly opened. "What?"

"Edward and Bella…conceived a child on their honeymoon." Carlisle pointed to the couch Renesmee slept on. "She was born very shortly after…"

"That was why you told me Bella was sick…"Charlie recalled, still slightly shocked from the newfound information.

"Correct." Carlisle stated. "And after she was born…the pregnancy had been very hard on Bella, it had almost killed her, and so Edward turned her into a vampire."

Charlie nodded, indicating for Carlisle to continue.

"So, do you see now why you must help us? I can no longer keep our granddaughter safe, Charlie, but you can. You can give her a normal life…or as normal as she can have." Carlisle pleaded.

"What about Bella? I can't take her child from her." Charlie said.

"I will figure something out." Carlisle said sadly. "This may not be forever, if I can somehow figure out a way around this, I will be back for Renesmee. If not, My other daughter, Alice, had a vision of the Volturi coming for Renesmee, so I will let my family believe that it has happened, and that Renesmee has been killed."

"What?" Charlie shook his head. He couldn't let that happen, it would kill Bella.

"It is the only way to keep the child safe." Carlisle assured him. "There is no other way. If you do not help us, Renesmee will die."

After a long minute, Charlie nodded his head. "Okay. Okay, whatever you need me to do."

Carlisle nodded, relieved. "All you need to do is keep her safe. She will grow quickly. Give her seven years and she will be a teenager, we suspect."

"Seven years?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.

Carlisle nodded. "And then she will stay a teenager." Carlisle slid a folder to Charlie. "This folder contains everything you will need as she grows, from fake birth certificates to fake transcripts. There are also a few notes in there on what she likes to eat, and can eat, and how she will grow. Jacob will be here to help you out."

"Jacob Black?" Charlie was confused.

"Yep." Jacob entered the kitchen as if on cue. "Carlisle told me all about the plan to leave Renesmee with you, and after what I heard; I think it's the best thing for her."

"Thank you, Jacob." Carlisle stood, shaking the werewolf's hand. "You have been nothing but good to my granddaughter."

"And I will continue to do so." Jacob shook Carlisle's hand back.

"I should be going." Carlisle said.

"Wait! Hold on!" Charlie stood. "You're just going to leave now?"

"Before I change my mind, yes." Carlisle nodded. "I can't let my family know I was here."

"But…how…how am I going to keep Renesmee away from you all? Bella does stop by here sometimes." Charlie reminded Carlisle.

"Not any more, she won't be." Carlisle told the chief. "I will move my family tonight. We will stay away from you and Renesmee. I have told only Esme and Jacob of this plan; she and I will stop in from time to time to check on Renesmee, but other than that, it will be as if we were never here."

Charlie said nothing, just passing glances between Jacob and Carlisle.

"Charlie, I must go. Thank you so much for this. You are saving that child's life." Carlisle shook Charlie's hand before making his way over to Renesmee and kissing the sleeping child on the forehead. He knew it would kill his family to lose her, but it would be better to know she was safe and alive than anything else.

"Well…be safe." Charlie told Carlisle ask he walked the vampire to the door. "And take care of Bella for me, would you?"

"Of course." Carlisle's face was sad. "And thank you again, Charlie."

Charlie nodded, and before he knew it, Carlisle was gone, leaving him standing in the open door with Jacob behind him.

"You did a good thing, Charlie." Jacob patted Charlie on the back. "You're keeping your grandchild safe."

"The grandchild I found out about five seconds go." Charlie shook his head, unsure of what he had just gotten himself into.


	2. Her Birthday

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 1**

Bella sat in Edward's Volvo, lazily playing with the radio station as she watched Carlisle and Edward unlock the door to their new home, twenty minutes from Forks, Washington in the town of Cassleville. Bella was trying to keep her thoughts away from the one thing she knew could make her break, her memories of Renesmee.

Today would have been Renesmee's seventh birthday, but instead of celebrating, the Cullen's were mourning. It had been a little less than seven years since Bella and Edward had returned home from a hunt to find their cottage torn apart, and Carlisle and Esme sitting outside, both clearly distraught, trying to explain to Bella and Edward that Renesmee had been taken by the Volturi. The Cullen's searched for her for over a year, before Carlisle had come back with the terrible news that he had found her remains while in Italy, that the Volturi had indeed killed Edward and Bella's "miracle child".

The truth was, however, that Carlisle had lied, just as he had lied about Renesmee's kidnapping. Renesmee had never been taken, Carlisle had given her to Charlie out of fear for her life, although he never told Bella or Edward or any of the Cullen's aside from Esme that. He could not risk them looking for her and the Volturi using them to get to Renesmee. That was why, five years ago, Carlisle lied again, saying he had found her body in Italy. This time, however, it was not fear of the Volturi that led him to lie. He had assumed, by that time, they were done looking for her, assuming she had died, and so Carlisle, with Esme along on one of their few yearly visits to Renesmee and Charlie, had asked her to come home.

Renesmee had refused. She had grown quite a bit by then, looking almost ten, and she told Carlisle that she liked being with Charlie, that she did not want to return to her family, and that he should just end their sadness and hope of finding her, and let them believe she was really gone.

So Carlisle did just that, he lied to his family, and told them that Renesmee was gone, that there was no hope, and that they should just let it be. Esme was the only one who knew the truth, and that was how it had stayed for seven years.

Seven years, and tons of moves later, Bella realized, looking up at the monstrous house that Carlisle had bought for all the Cullen's to share, that this was the first place that seemed right. It reminded Bella very much of the Cullen's home in Forks, and she wondered, as she got out of the car to join Alice, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie on the front steps, if she liked it only because it reminded her of Forks.

"Home sweet home!" Carlisle cheered as he swung the door opened.

"I can't believe we moved back to Washington." Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Of all the places…"

"It was Bella's turn to pick." Edward reminded Rosalie, that the last move had been her decision, and they had ended up in Maine. Now, it had been Bella's choice, and she had picked Washington again, and as close to Forks as she could get without being in the actual town. Instead, their new home sat on the opposite side of the LaPush reservation.

"Well, I adore it!" Alice squealed, grabbing onto Bella's arm.

Bella forced a smile, a million other things, like Renesmee, on her mind. She felt terrible; her little girl should be there with them, celebrating her birthday, not rotting away in the ground.

"Bella?" Edward questioned his wife, wrapping an arm around her cold body.

"I'm fine." Bella looked up at Edward, her eyes full of tears that would never fall.

"It's okay to miss her." Edward read Bella's thoughts, her shield down, and he knew every single one she was having was about the daughter they had lost.

"Let's just unpack." Bella gave Edward a tight lipped smile. She knew they had a lot to do over the weekend, because the following day they were starting high school, as juniors at Cassleville High, in their new town.

Edward nodded, not knowing what else to do to console his wife. He too, missed Renesmee, but he knew it would and could never be the same way Bella missed their daughter. Bella had loved Renesmee in ways Edward knew he would never understand.

* * *

Renesmee Carlie Cullen's alarm clock went blaring off in her ear. She rolled over, blindly throwing it off her night stand and growling. It was Sunday, which meant it was still the weekend and, therefore she had no idea why her alarm was going off.

"Nes, get up!" Charlie came into his granddaughter's room. Although Charlie looked far too young to be anyone's grandfather, let alone someone who looked as old as Renesmee.

"Why?" Renesmee grumbled, her head in her pillow. "It's Sunday."

"Its noon." Charlie sat on the side of her bed, shaking his granddaughter slightly. "And…your birthday."

Renesmee's head shot up, her long curly bleach locks fall over her shoulders. Her hair was naturally bronze, but she had gotten sick of it last year and dyed it blonde, never turning back. "It's my birthday!"

"That's right." Charlie laughed at her enthusiasm.

"And…do I have presents?" Renesmee turned to smile a devilishly grin at Charlie.

Charlie rolled his eyes, scrimmaging in his pocket from something. "For a seven year old, I think it's a bit of a ridiculous gift but…"

"I am only seven in years." Renesmee reminded him. "But my brain and my body look seventeen, thus how I got my license."

"Right right…" Charlie joked. The truth was, he was almost glad Renesmee had grown so quickly, although her aging had slowed down significantly the past year, allowing her to go to regular school finally, and today she was celebrating her 'seventeenth birthday'.

"Okay…present?" Renesmee pressed as she watched Charlie take his sweet time in his pocket. The truth was, if she wanted to, she could have ripped his arm off and yanked whatever he was looking for out in two seconds flat with the strength she assumed she had inherited from the father she hardly could remember.

"Here." Charlie finally held out a set of Cadillac keys.

"A Cadillac?" Renesmee's mouth hung opened.

"It was a present from your Grandpa Carlisle. He had it delivered to the station in Forks." Charlie explained. He was still the police chief in Forks, although a year ago he and Renesmee and relocated to Cassleville so she could start school without any suspicions. Carlisle had gotten the car delivered to the police station in Forks so Renesmee would not see it.

"I guess this is to make up for missing my birthday." Renesmee said. Usually, Carlisle and Esme showed up for Renesmee's birthday every year. Prior, they tried to stop in and see her once or twice a year, but two years ago the visits stopped; two years ago, Renesmee made the decision, when Carlisle offered her to return to the family, that she did not want to; she assumed it would be in everyone's best interest if they thought she had died, that way they could all move on. Carlisle had pressed that no one thought she was dead, just missing, and that was when Renesmee told him she wanted him to tell her family, her parents, her aunts, and her uncle's that she was gone, so they would stop looking for her, so they could move on.

Still, Renesmee was a little sad at the loss of her grandparents company; she did love her Grandpa Carlisle and Grandma Esme, especially because they were the only ones from her vampire family that she was exposed to. Now she did not even have that. Her relationship with Carlisle and Esme had become presents and cards with cash in them, but Renesmee blamed that on them; they had cut her off when she had not gone along with what they wanted

"Well…you should go see it. Take it for a ride if you want." Charlie motioned to the window.

Renesmee was out of her bed and starring out her window before Charlie could blink, speed being another thing she had inherited from Edward. When Renesmee reached her window her mouth hung opened wide as she starred down at the brand new Black Cadillac Escalade that sat in front of her house. "Oh, Jacob is going to be so jealous!"

* * *

It had been a few hours since the Cullen's had arrived in their new home, and Bella had almost completely unpacked her and Edward's room. The bed, dresser and clothes had all been moved in, and Bella was busy hanging a few pictures. She had two that needed to be hung immediately. One was of her wedding day with Edward, the two of them locked in each other's embrace, and the other was of her, Edward, and Renesmee outside of their cottage in Forks. The second one was so important to Bella because it was one of the few pictures she had of Renesmee.

"Bella? How's it going?" Edward popped his head into their room.

"Just…hanging some pictures." Bella held up the one of Edward, Renesmee, and herself and sighed, wishing she could shed some tears for the daughter she missed so dearly.

Edward could see the sadness in her eyes and immediately moved to console Bella, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. "Bella, please don't do this to yourself. Every single year…"

"What? I miss her on her birthday?" Bella pushed away from her husband, slightly repulsed. "Sorry I didn't handle losing our daughter as well as you did. Sorry I can't just forget her…"

"Bella, you know that's not what I mean. Of course I miss Renesmee, but mourning over her is not going to change anything." Edward spoke from his heart; he did love and miss Renesmee but he could not torture himself with her memory for the rest of eternity and he knew he couldn't let Bella do that either.

"I know." Bella ran a hand through her brown locks, nodding before taking a deep breath. "I know. I just…"

"It still hurts." Edward nodded, finishing Bella's thought for her. "No one said it wouldn't, but…" He took her by the hand and pulled her onto their bed, wrapping his arms around her unchangeable waist. As he did so, his hand collided with her cold, hard skin, and he sighed. Sometimes, he regretted changing her. He knew he had saved Bella's life by turning her into a vampire, but sometimes he just missed her human warmth.

"I just thought it wouldn't take so long to get easier." Bella spoke truthfully.

"Well…we are starting fresh here." Edward reminded her. "A new school, new life, and in two years we can head off to college."

Bella shook her head, amazement written on her face. "It seems ridiculous…everything that has happened to us…and yet here we go, heading back to high school."

"This is the life you chose." Edward reminded Bella.

Bella turned to Edward, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "And I wouldn't change it. I just miss Renesmee."

"And you don't ever have to stop missing her, Bella." Edward kissed her cheek. "You never have to forget her or stop loving her. You will always be her mother, and not even death can take that away from you."

Bella nodded, knowing Edward's words were true, and since she really truly believed Renesmee was dead, Edward's words seemed like the only thing she could hold onto.

After a second Edward pulled away from Bella. "Come on…we need to finish unpacking. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Right." Bella rolled her eyes. "Cassleville High, here we come!" She said sarcastically.

Edward had to laugh; Bella's sarcastic voice always made him smile.

* * *

Renesmee pulled her Escalade up to Jacob's house at the reservation, honking the horn to get his attention. Within seconds, Jacob Black was standing on his porch, his complexion hardly changing from the day of Renesmee's birth with the wolf in him slowly down his aging, a confused look on his face; clearly he did not recognize the car that sat in front of him.

"What?" Renesmee opened her door and jumped out. "You don't like it?"

"Nessie?" Jacob was shocked at the driver of the car, but moved quickly toward his imprint, gathering her in his strong arms and kissing her before turning back to her car. "What is this?"

"My birthday present from Carlisle and Esme." Renesmee explained.

"They came to see you?" Jacob asked. There were few people that knew who Renesmee actually was and that she was still alive, and those people included Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, and Jacob along with his tribe. Knowing that, Jacob always wondered why, prior to a few years ago, Carlisle and Esme risked coming to see Renesmee and exposing their little secret to anyone else. Still, he understood it; after all she was their granddaughter.

"No." Renesmee shook her head. "They couldn't make it this year…so they sent this instead…and I can't wait to drive up to school in it tomorrow."

Jacob nodded his head in approval, his short hair hardly moving. "Well, certainly not a bad gift."

"Nope." Renesmee admired her new SUV for a few moments before turning to Jacob. "And what about your gift?"

"Greedy." Jacob teased, kissing Renesmee on her nose. "But I do have a _present _for you…" He smirked at her.

"Oh…do you?" Renesmee raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. Billy won't be home for a few hours…" Jacob grinned, his eyes full of passion.

"Oh…" Renesmee understood what that meant, and dove in for a kiss from Jacob.

Jacob immediately picked Renesmee up in his arms effortlessly. He had grown much stronger over the past seven years, though his looks had not change much, as he and Renesmee almost looked the same age now. It was not as though he needed the extra strength to pick up Renesmee though; she was built exactly like Bella, just with a bigger chest which Jacob would not object to.

"Jake!" Renesmee giggled as he threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down!"

"Not until I get you to my bed!" Jacob grinned, continuing to carry Renesmee into his house, ready to give her the _birthday present_ he had promised.

* * *

Carlisle sat in his new office, finishing some paperwork up for his new Job at the Cassleville hospital when Esme knocked softly on the door.

"Come in." Carlisle called.

A second later, Esme made her way into his office, closing the door gently behind her. "Getting settled in?"

Carlisle nodded, leaning back in his chair. "As best I can."

"Did the _present_ ever make it there?" Esme spoke of the Escalade that Carlisle had bought Renesmee for her birthday.

Carlisle nodded. "The delivery guy called to confirm."

"I bet she loved it." Esme spoke of the granddaughter she rarely saw, the granddaughter that every Cullen aside from Carlisle and herself thought was dead.

Carlisle smiled at the thought of Renesmee. He was astonished at the beautiful girl Renesmee had become in just a few short years. He had wished he could see her for her birthday. "I am sure she did."

"Do you think we will be able to see her?" Esme asked.

Carlisle thought long and hard about the last time he had seen his granddaughter. It had been over t two years ago, when he had decided it would be safe enough for Renesmee to return to the family without the Volturi pursuing her. It seemed that the old vampires had found something else to invest their time in, assuming that Renesmee had really gone missing when they stopped by to see the Cullen's and the child was no longer with them.

That had been one of the happiest days of Carlisle's life, because he would be able to bring Bella and Edward their child back. Carlisle's hopes had been crushed, however, when Renesmee had no desire to be reunited with her family and had chosen to stay with Charlie.

"I don't know." Carlisle responded to Esme's question. "We haven't seen her in so long…"

"But she is right over the mountain. Forks is only a half hour away." Esme said, having no idea that Charlie and Renesmee no longer lived in Forks and had since moved to Cassleville, making them ten minutes down the road.

"I just…I don't know if she even wants to see us." Carlisle said sadly.

"Well, even so. What about Bella?" Esme asked.

"What about her?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you think Bella will want to go see Charlie?" Esme asked. "If she does…Renesmee will be there."

"Well hopefully we can deter Bella from going to Charlie's house." Carlisle said."Tell her it will put him in danger or something."

Esme nodded after a moment. "I hope so…"

"I didn't want to move this close to Nessie or Charlie either, but…it was Bella's choice." Carlisle sighed.

"I know." Esme moved, wrapping an arm around Carlisle's shoulders and kissing the top of his head. "I am sure it will all be fine."


	3. Biology Class

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 2**

Bella made her way down the stairs to find Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett waiting for her in their living room. They were all ready for their first day at Cassleville High School. As usual, Emmett and Rosalie would be playing older students, seniors this time, and Bella, Edward, Jasper, and Alice would be posing as juniors.

Bella couldn't help the slight feeling of dread that filled her that morning. She had never loved high school the first time around, and now she would be doing it all over again. This was only her second time attending school since she had been changed, because she had spent her first few years looking for Renesmee and the last two years going to high school in Maine, which is why she was being forced to play the role of a junior now.

"You ready?" Edward grinned, knowing Bella was not very excited.

Bella nodded after a minute. "I guess."

"You will all do fine." Esme's voice filled the room as she and Carlisle entered. "And if you need anything I will be home."

"And I will be at the hospital." Carlisle said, grabbing his brief case by the door. "Have a good day."

"Yeah, yeah." Emmett grumbled as he watched Carlisle exit; he had never been a fan of school either.

"Who is driving?" Rosalie asked, knowing if she pulled up in her red convertible it would cause a scene.

"I'll drive." Emmett volunteered. He had gotten a new gray jeep a few months earlier, though everyone told him it looked exactly the same as his old on.

"I will too." Edward glanced at Bella, wanting some time alone with her before school.

Alice, seeing the look Edward gave Bella, understood her brother's train of thought. "Mind if we ride with you, Emmett?" She patted Jasper's chest, asserting the 'we'.

"Not at all." Emmett said.

"We should be going." Jasper looked at the clock on the wall. "We don't want to be late."

Everyone nodded and walked to the garage where Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice piled into Emmett's jeep and Bella and Edward got into his Volvo.

Once Edward was out of the garage, aimlessly following Emmett to their new school, he turned to take Bella's hand in his. "How are you doing?"

"I hate school." Bella glanced out the window.

Edward chuckled, he had always known that. "But it will be nice, a fresh start."

"I guess." Bella shrugged, looking at Edward's hand entwined into hers. She loved him so, but she could not say that their relationship had not been strained a little since Renesmee had gone missing and was now dead. Bella couldn't help but get angry with how it always seemed Edward was trying so hard to move on and forget his little girl while all she wanted to do was hold onto her daughter's memories. Those were, however, beginning to fade and it scared Bella. She no longer could remember Renesmee's scent or exactly what shade of brown her eyes had been and it scared Bella. She did not want to forget her daughter.

"Bella, it will be fine." Edward took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, kissing it. "I promise you."

Bella nodded after a moment, smiling slightly. "Well, it will keep us busy."

"Maybe that's what we need." Edward smiled back quickly, before turning his eyes to the road. He knew what Bella wanted to keep busy from, and that was the memories of Renesmee which he could see, flooding her mind, anytime she let her shield down. Edward too, missed his daughter, but he wanted to be strong for Bella. He could not let her know how weak he really was when it came to his daughter, the child he had loved so dearly.

* * *

Renesmee woke to the sound of Charlie knocking on her door. She rolled over, her eyes still closed as she put her head under her pillow.

"What?" Renesmee grumbled.

Charlie poked his head in. "I am leaving for work and you need to get up. You can't be late for school."

"Yeah…yeah." Renesmee yawned.

Charlie moved, yanking the pillow off his granddaughter's head. "I am serious. You can't afford anymore detentions."

Renesmee raised her chocolate eyes to her grandfather. "Who cares?"

"I care." Charlie told her. "I am not going to let my granddaughter fail out of high school."

"Yeah, but I get to repeat it in a few years anyway." Renesmee reminded him as she sat up in bed. She knew now, that she had stopped aging; she would be condemned to the same fate Charlie told her that her parents were condemned too; she would forever be a high school student.

"Just get to school." Charlie told her before leaving her room.

Renesmee sighed, but did get out of bed, grabbing a white tank-top, a black hoodie, and jeans before heading into the bathroom. She reemerged a second later, grateful for her vampire speed and grabbed her watch, a beautiful white gold one with the Cullen family crest on its face. Esme had given it to her two years ago, and she adored it.

Renesmee then grabbed her books and headed down the stairs, grabbing a cookie off the counter before heading out to her brand new Cadillac. She could not wait to show everyone it at Cassleville High School.

* * *

The parking lot was getting full as Edward pulled his car in behind Emmett. The two brother's quickly parked and all of the Cullen's got out of the cars, meeting behind Edward's Volvo, and looking around at the students of Cassleville.

"How is it that almost every high school parking lot looks the same?" Jasper asked, glancing out to the sea of faces in the parking lot. Kids were everywhere; girls were leaning on their cars, gossiping, boys were throwing footballs around, and some kids were secretly lighting cigarette's up, trying to avoid any teachers who would see.

"Let's just get this over with." Rosalie rolled her eyes. She was not exactly happy about their move back to Washington, as it reminded her of her beloved nieces, Renesmee; still she would not say anything, knowing Bella had wanted to come back to the dreadful state for a reason.

Suddenly, a huge black Escalade pulled into the lot and immediately, Edward could hear the other students' thoughts, all amazed by the truck and wondering who was driving it.

"At least we aren't the only ones riding in style." Emmett commented as the Cadillac parked.

Suddenly, the door to the Cadillac sung open and a blonde girl, with a light complexion jumped out. Immediately, Edward's head filled with more thoughts. '_R.E.? That's her driving?' 'Should have asked her out…' 'Great, just what she needs…more attention' 'R.E. is so spoiled' 'She always has the coolest stuff' 'She is so lucky'. _The thoughts continued.

Bella glanced at Edward, seeing a small smile forming on his lips. "What?"

"Just the kids." Edward pointed to his head, letting his family know they were reading his thoughts. "They are easily impressed."

"Who is she?" Alice asked, out of curiosity, as she pointed to the girl who had all the school's attention.

Edward shrugged. "Her name is R.E. I am picking up mixed vibes about her."

"Who cares?" Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Let's just get inside and registered."

The rest of the Cullen's complied, following Rosalie up the stairs to the school. Edward effortlessly wrapped his arm around Bella, kissing her on the forehead as they walked up the stairs. Immediately, she relaxed.

* * *

Renesmee made her way to her locker, already sick of the attention her new Escalade was getting her. At first, she had been excited to show her gift off, but now, it was just getting boring.

Suddenly, Renesmee felt a pull on the back of her hood. She turned to see a very handsome, tall boy, with blonde hair and blues eyes smiling down at her. "Saw the ride. Why didn't you tell me Charlie got you such a sweet gift?"

Renesmee just smiled back at one of her best friends. "Because he didn't, Nick."

"Then who the hell hooked you up like that, R.E.?" Nick asked.

Renesmee rolled her eyes at the use of her nickname. It was not that she hated it, she just thought it sounded stupid, but Charlie had insisted that use a nickname other then Nessie for her in public, in case anyone was after her. He figured Renesmee was a pretty uncommon name that may raise some suspicion, let alone Renesmee Cullen. So, when they moved, Renesmee decided on the nickname R.E. for **R**enee and **E**sme, the two components of her first name and she chose to use her father's human last name, Masen, making her name, to everyone on the outside, R.E. Masen. Only Charlie, Jacob, Carlisle, Esme, and the pack called her Nessie or Renesmee.

"My grandparents." Renesmee responded.

"I thought you didn't know who they were?" Nick seemed confused.

Renesmee sighed, knowing Nick thought the same thing as everyone else in town did, that Renesmee was a foster child that Charlie had taken in, since she seemed way too old to be his granddaughter. "Well, sometimes I hear from my Dad's parents…" She shrugged. "It's confusing."

Just then two more of Renesmee's friends Julie and Derek and Nick's girlfriend, Lucy walked up.

"R.E., besides the new car, how was your birthday?" Lucy asked, wrapping an arm around Nick, who was much taller than his dark-haired girlfriend.

"Not bad." Renesmee shrugged.

"What did Jacob get you?" Julie asked. She was Renesmee's best friend; a short, skinny girl with a great tan and dark eyes to match her dark hair.

Renesmee just smiled, remembering the afternoon she and Jacob had enjoyed in his bed. "Just…something small."

Suddenly the bell rang.

"Ugh. I don't want to go to class." Derek smiled at Renesmee. "Want to skip this shit and go hit the beach? I heard the surf is ridiculous today."

"Would love to." Renesmee slammed her locker. "But Charlie has me on strict orders to not get detention. So…skipping…not an option right now."

"Who cares about detention?" Derek shrugged. Out of all of her friends, Derek was the bad-ass, and Renesmee really enjoyed his company.

"My potential of getting to be a senior next year." Renesmee said. "So let me get going." She made her way to biology, her least favorite class.

"We should all go to class." Julie glared at Derek, not liking that he and Renesmee spent so much time cutting class. She knew how smart Renesmee was but how little she showed interest in school, and it bothered Julie who worked very hard to get the same grades as Renesmee, who slept in more classes then she was awake for.

* * *

As the bell rang, Bella and Edward shuffled into their first class, biology. Bella had been so angry when she got her schedule, she hated biology. The only thing she had ever liked about it was the fact that she had met Edward in biology years earlier.

As they walked in, the Cullen children were greeted by a plump woman with brown curly hair and glasses, in her early forties.

"I am Ms. Martin." The teacher smiled to Edward and Bella. "You three must be the Cullen's."

"Yes, ma'am." Edward replied smoothly.

Ms. Martin was immediately captivated by Edward's smile, causing Bella to suppress a laugh. She loved seeing the effect Edward's beauty could have on others.

Ms. Martin, hearing Bella's giggled, turned her attention to the class. "Class, we have two new students, Edward and Bella Cullen. Please make them feel welcome." She turned to Edward and Bella. "Are you two twins?"

"No!" Bella said quickly, both shocked and disguised.

"No." Edward laughed. "No, we are married." He held his ring finger up to show his wedding band.

"Oh." Ms. Martin blushed, embarrassed. "That's just not usual…you know for high school students…so I saw the same last name and…"

"It's quite alright." Edward smiled again. "Can we sit?"

"Sure." Ms. Martin pointed to a lab table a few rows back toward the window, with two empty seats.

Bella and Edward moved through the sea of new faces and sat at their seat.

"She seems quite fond of you…" Bella teased Edward.

"I have that effect on people." Edward smiled at his wife.

Ms. Martin then began her lesson, and was already a few minutes into it when the door to the classroom went flying open.

"Miss Masen!" Ms. Martin spat. "Late as usual?"

"At least I showed." Renesmee was standing in the door. She could not stand Ms. Martin, and it was clear Ms. Martin did not like her. She was always in trouble in that class.

Edward immediately perked up, first recognizing Renesmee from the parking lot and then getting a big whiff of her scent.

"She isn't human?" Bella whispered so low only Edward could hear her.

"No." Edward whispered back. Renesmee's scent was familiar to him, but he could not remember where it was from, all he knew is she was not human.

"Vampire?" Bella asked, also confused by the scent that filled the room, it being so eerily familiar and yet not being able to place it.

"I don't believe so." Edward responded, as Ms. Martin's voice broke over his.

"Watch the smart mouth, young lady." Ms. Martin narrowed her eyes at Renesmee.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "Are you done yelling or should I not sit?"

"Sit." Ms. Martin sneered. "And then you can sit after class today…in detention. I just love spending so much time with you, R.E."

Renesmee rolled her eyes and moved to take her seat when suddenly her eyes fell on Bella and Edward and she froze. She knew exactly who they were, remembering the wedding picture of her parents that Charlie had on the wall, and she remembered their scent, something she could and would never forget. She panicked, wondering if they had figured out who she was as quickly as she had figured out them. She knew, if they hadn't they would; she needed to get out of the room.

"R.E.? A problem?" Ms. Martin questioned seeing that the girl had frozen.

"I…uh…I gotta go." Renesmee bolted for the open window and took a quick leap out, landing on her feet two stories below.

The rest of the class followed her to the window, including Ms. Martin. They were all relieved to see Renesmee running toward her car, in shock she could jump from there and not get hurt.

Bella and Edward however, did not stand to look out the window; instead they looked at each other, confused. Clearly, the R.E. girl knew they were vampires, but why had she freaked out? And why did both of them recognize those big brown eyes she had locked on them? Neither of them knew where they knew them from, but they knew they recognized those eyes from somewhere.


	4. Carlisle Tells a Lie

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 3**

Renesmee sped to the police station in Forks, twenty minutes from her house. With her great reaction time and speed, she was, however, able to make it there in five minutes, jerking her new Escalade into a spot and jumping out, sprinting into the station. She needed to talk to Charlie right away.

"R.E.?" The front desk receptionist named Larry recognized the young girl.

"Where is Charlie?" Renesmee asked.

"In his office. Is it urgent?" Larry asked.

Renesmee rolled her eyes, wondering how stupid the man in front of her could possibly be. It took all of her strength to refrain from snapping his neck and drinking his blood. "Yes. A little."

Larry leaned back in his chair, peering into Charlie's office. "He doesn't look too busy…"

"Thanks." Renesmee bolted to Charlie's office, much too quickly for Larry to stop her even if he wanted to. She was standing in Charlie's office in five seconds flat.

"Renesmee?" Charlie was confused. "You're supposed to be in school…"

"I know." Renesmee paced the room, her mind racing a million miles a minute as images of Edward and Bella sitting in biology flooded her mind.

"Then what the hell are you doing here?" Charlie was annoyed. "You just got off two weeks of detention and you already are cutting again?"

"Grandpa…I couldn't stay there." Renesmee said.

"Why?" Charlie was between confused and annoyed.

"Because! Because_ they_ were there…in my class!" Renesmee began to ramble. "I walked in and they are sitting there in front of me, and I was never supposed to see them again. That was what I wanted…yet there they sat…"

"Who are you talking about?" Charlie was confused now.

Renesmee pushed her fake blonde locks over her head, reminded Charlie instantly of Bella.

"Who was in your class?" Charlie pressed.

Renesmee stopped pacing and locked eyes with Charlie, swallowing hard. "My parents…"

"What?!" Charlie was in shock now. "Your…my…"

"Yes. Your daughter, my mother. Bella." Renesmee nodded. "And my father. They were both there."

Charlie shook his head. That was impossible. Carlisle had promised to keep them all away from Renesmee and himself. Hell, Carlisle had told Bella that Renesmee was dead. "It couldn't have been them…"

"It was." Renesmee told him. "I recognized them."

Charlie continued to shake his head. "It couldn't have been."

"Look!" Renesmee moved around Charlie's desk, touching his hand and allowing his mind to fill with the images of Edward and Bella sitting in biology class.

Immediately, Charlie's face went ghostly white. "It is them…"

"That's what I said." Renesmee rolled her eyes, sitting up on Charlie's desk.

"Did they recognize you?" Charlie asked after a moment.

Renesmee shook her head. "No way. I am sure they didn't. Why would they anyway? I look a little different than I did seven years ago."

"That is true." Some color was filling back into Charlie's cheeks. "I wonder what they are doing here…"

Renesmee shrugged. "We are going to have to talk to Carlisle."

Charlie nodded. "I have no idea how to get in touch with him."

"We will work on it." Renesmee said. "In the mean time, I don't know what to do."

"You ignore them." Charlie decided. "Make sure you keep your thoughts clear when you are around Edward." Charlie remembered Carlisle telling him that Edward read minds. "And just go about your business. I doubt they will recognize you."

Renesmee nodded after a minute. "Okay."

Charlie then looked up at his granddaughter. "Nes, are you okay?"

Renesmee nodded again. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just…you haven't seen them in a long time…" Charlie started.

Renesmee shrugged. "And I haven't missed them. Seeing them didn't change that. I mean…yeah I was shocked…but it doesn't change the fact that they aren't my parents anymore."

"Renesmee…they will always be your parents." Charlie said.

Renesmee shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I have all the family I need." She winked at Charlie.

Charlie rolled his eyes, standing. "I guess you aren't heading back to school?"

Renesmee shook her head. "Not a chance."

"Alright then…let's go see if we can't find Carlisle." Charlie grabbed the keys to his cruiser and led Renesmee out the door of the police station, shock still registering in his body. He had not seen Bella in so long; it was hard to believe his daughter was now so close.

* * *

The lunchroom of Cassleville was buzzing with the news of R.E. Masen's jump from a second story window in Ms. Martin's class. As Edward made his way through the cafeteria, with Bella at his side, he thought his head would explode with the gossip. If the students weren't talking about it, they were thinking about the incident.

Finally, Edward and Bella found their way to the table which Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice already occupied. Edward quickly pulled a chair out for Bella to sit and then took the seat next to her.

"Quite the commotion being stirred up today. The excitement in the room is…overwhelming." Jasper said calmly, eyeing up the student body.

"I hear some chick jumped out a window." Emmett smirked.

"From the second story." Edward nodded, looking at Bella. "It happened in our biology class."

"Did she break anything?" Alice asked.

"No." Edward shook his head.

"Really? Someone must be lucky…" Emmett seemed impressed. "That's not a small jump."

"She isn't…human." Edward whispered.

Rosalie raised an eyebrow immediately. "How do you know?"

"Her scent…" Edward's brow furrowed. "It just wasn't human. Right?" He glanced at Bella.

Bella nodded in agreement. "I have no idea what it was."

"Not another vampire?" Emmett asked.

Edward shook his head. "Didn't smell exactly like that."

"Werewolf?" Alice asked.

"No. Definitely not." Bella shook her head, recalling what Jacob Black smelled like. "She wasn't a wolf."

Edward ran a hand through Bella's beautiful brown hair, immersed in his own thoughts. "She did…if you want to compare…smell more like one of us then a werewolf…or human for that matter."

"But you just said she wasn't one of us…" Emmett reminded him.

"She isn't." Edward said. "She is definitely at least part human. Her scent was just so mixed…I am not sure." Edward continued trying to recall why the scent of that girl had been so familiar to him, and yet he could offer no reason.

"We should talk to Carlisle then." Rosalie said simply. "In case…whatever she is…in case there are more."

The rest of the Cullen family seemed to nod in agreement at Rosalie's statement. Carlisle would know what to do.

* * *

Charlie pulled his cruiser up to the front of Cassleville hospital and looked over at Renesmee in his passenger seat. He could not believe, after all this time and planning, after how careful they had been, there was no a chance that Renesmee would be discovered.

"What are we doing here?" Renesmee looked up at the three story, white building.

"I figured it would be the best place to start looking for Carlisle." Charlie said.

Renesmee nodded. It made sense, after all, she knew Carlisle had been a doctor. She casually got out of the cruiser, slamming the door and standing near the front of the hospital before Charlie could even blink.

Charlie just shook his head as he made his way across the parking lot toward his smirking granddaughter. "You can't do that kind of stuff in public." He reminded her.

"Relax." Renesmee smiled a crooked smile. "No one saw me."

Charlie just nodded toward the hospital and Renesmee turned on her heel, leading her grandfather, who looked more like her father, into the building. Together, they approached a desk with a small, plump women with rosy cheeks and short blonde hair, sitting behind a desk.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked.

"Uh...yes." Charlie nodded. "I am Chief Swan." He pointed to his jacket. "From Forks."

"Oh, right! Of course." The woman smiled. "You do look familiar. How can I help you, chief?"

"I was wondering if I might be able to see Dr. Cullen?" Charlie asked, hoping that there was indeed a Dr. Cullen on staff.

"Oh sure." The woman smiled. "Let me just see if he is busy."

"Thanks." Charlie smiled as he watched the woman move to a desk further back and pick up her phone.

After a minute she returned to her desk. "Dr. Cullen said to go on in. He is the second door on the left."

"Thanks." Charlie nodded and then led Renesmee down the hall to Carlisle's office, where he quickly opened the door and shuffled Renesmee and himself in before closing it.

Carlisle smiled warmly, standing. "Renesmee, Charlie! Good to see you!" He moved to give Renesmee a hug, but she sat herself down in the chair across from his desk before he could.

In truth, Carlisle had no idea why Renesmee and Charlie were in his office or how they knew where he was, and he was rather confused. He motioned for Charlie to sit and then he took a seat at his desk. "What can I do for you two?"

"You can start by telling me what the hell you are doing back here." Charlie leaned forward in his chair. "I thought you said you were going to stay away from us."

"Relax." Carlisle understood Charlie's concerns. "Renesmee is in no danger with us being here. We have established no contact, plus…the Volutri have moved onto other things now." He glanced toward Renesmee, astonished by how much she had changed. She had grown into a beautiful young women, with so many of her father and mother's features mixed, and yet so many of her own. The only thing that did not fit, in Carlisle's opinion, was the dirty blonde hair that she was clearly dyeing.

"There is the first problem." Charlie started. "You did establish contact."

"We have not." Carlisle said with certainty.

"Well then explain how she walked into biology class to see her mother and father sitting there." Charlie said.

"What?" Carlisle felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach. "But that's impossible…the kids aren't at Forks…"

"Neither is she." Charlie pointed toward Renesmee. "We moved, last year, here…to Cassleville."

Everything hit Carlisle like a tons of bricks in an instant. He realized, he had inadvertently almost exposed the entire lie Renesmee's known existence stood on. "I didn't know."

"You wouldn't." Renesmee spoke for the first time since she had arrived at the hospital. She cast he eyes on Carlisle for a second before looking away from her forever-young grandfather. "Not like you check in…"

"Renesmee…" Carlisle felt his heart break. "I am sorry I haven't been around much."

Renesmee shrugged. "Forget it. Just…what are we going to do? I can't just go back to school. What if they recognize me?"

Carlisle shook his head. "They won't." He was confident of that. Renesmee had changed so much he hardly recognized her, and he had only not seen her for two years, while everyone else had not seen her for seven years. She was virtually unrecognizable. "Did they…seem to know you were _different_?"

"You mean not human?" Renesmee asked.

"Yes." Carlisle nodded.

Renesmee shrugged. "At first I don't think they noticed…but then I jumped and landed fine out of a second story window…"

Carlisle nodded, trying to suppress a laugh. Knowing Renesmee's personality, he would expect her to exit no other way, except dramatically out of a window. "Well, then I am sure they will have some questions."

"And what will you say?" Charlie asked.

"I will tell them that I know of Renesmee…that I placed her with you because I knew she was different, and that they should pursue it no more." Carlisle said.

"It's R.E." Renesmee told him. "R.E. Masen…in case people got suspicious."

Carlisle nodded. "I will remember that."

"You can't stay here." Charlie said. "It's just…it's too close to risk anything…"

Carlisle nodded. He agreed. "I will get my family out of here as soon as I can. In the mean time, just stay clear of your parents and aunts and uncles."

"I'll try." Renesmee sighed.

Carlisle nodded, reaching across his desk and patting Renesmee's leg that she had stretched out across his desk. "I really did miss you, Nessie."

After a moment, Renesmee nodded, smiling. "I missed you too, Grandpa Carlisle." She stood, moving around the desk to give Carlisle a hug. "And thanks for the car."

Carlisle smiled. "You're very welcome." He then moved, shaking Charlie's hand. "Charlie, thank you again for all you have done."

"She is my granddaughter too." Charlie nodded toward Renesmee.

"I know." Carlisle said. "So thank you for taking care of her."

"I can take care of myself." Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Sure you can." Charlie joked and then turned his attention back to Carlisle. "Just…stay in touch with me…until you guys leave."

"Sure." Carlisle nodded.

"And…and how is Bella?" Charlie asked, awkwardly.

"She is good." Carlisle said.

"Good…that's good." Charlie nodded and then motioned Renesmee out the door of Carlisle's office, leaving the vampire alone to weigh all of the information that had been placed in front of him.

* * *

Edward pulled his car into the driveway, finding Emmett's jeep already home. He smiled over at Bella, as she gathered up her books that she had placed on the floor. He noticed then, that she had put her mind shield up, blocking him from her thoughts.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Edward asked.

"What?" Bella shot her head up. "Nothing. Why?"

"Your shield." Edward motioned to her head. "Its up."

"Oh." Bella would have blushed if she could, but she had lost that ability seven years earlier. "I just had a lot on my mind. Didn't want to bother you with it."

"You don't bother me ever, Mrs. Cullen…" Edward grinned, pulling Bella quickly to his lips.

The kiss lasted a few moments before Bella pulled away, unable to hide the smile she got every single time Edward kissed her. No matter how terrible of a day she was having, his kiss always made it a little better. "Thanks for that…"

"Sure." Edward moved to open the door, but Bella quickly stopped him, jerking his hand away from the door handle with her vampire strength. "What?"

"I just have a question..." Bella started. "About that girl today…I felt like I knew her."

Edward nodded, he had felt the same but did not want to say anything. "Its probably just because she wasn't human."

"Well what was she then?" Bella asked. "It's been bothering me all day."

"I don't know." Edward stated, as he saw Carlisle's car pull up the driveway. "But Carlisle will. Come on." He got out of the car.

Bella followed her husband, at his side in moments as the two waited for Carlisle to step out of his car.

"Hello." Carlisle smiled warmly.

"We have to talk to you." Edward said quickly.

"Regarding…?" Carlisle asked.

"A girl at school today." Bella said.

Immediately, Renesmee's face popped into Carlisle's head before he could control his thoughts.

"You know her?" Edward had read Carlisle's mind and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Carlisle recovered, knowing he would have to be careful to not let Renesmee cross his mind unless it was in the contact of the lie he was about to tell his family. "Come inside, I will explain."

Edward and Bella followed Carlisle into the house where the rest of the Cullen's were already sitting in the living room. Apparently, with their sensitive hearing, they had heard Carlisle, Bella, and Edward talking outside and were just as eager to hear about the girl from school.

"Seems like a full house." Carlisle joked.

"So you know that chick from school who jumped out the window?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Yes, I do."

"How?" Edward asked. "And what is she?"

"She is…half vampire, half human." Carlisle began his lie. "I found her a few years ago…"

"She is…she is like Renesmee?" Bella asked, wanting to shed tears so badly at the thought of her child.

"Similar to her, yes." Carlisle continued his fib. "I would assume Renesmee would have grown to be very much like that girl."

Bella nodded, assuming that the reason the girl in class had smelled so familiar was because she was so similar to Renesmee. Never once did Bella think it actually was Renesmee, after all, Carlisle had told them all Renesmee was dead.

Edward wrapped an arm lovingly around Bella, as she had let down her shield and let him in to see how much it was all affecting her, how much it made her miss their daughter. He kissed her head gently. "It's okay, Bella…"

Bella just nodded against Edward's chest.

"Shall I continue?" Carlisle asked, hoping they would say no.

"Yes." Bella spoke up, her voice cracking though no tears falling.

Carlisle nodded. "Anyway, I found her…some years ago…when Esme and I were away on a trip."

"You know her too?" Alice looked to Esme.

Esme nodded, knowing that Carlisle was lying, but assuming it was to protect Renesmee, though she did not fully understand. "I do."

"Anyway, the child was abandoned. I couldn't leave her like that, but…I couldn't take her either, not after knowing what the Volutri had done to Renesmee. I feared this child would have a similar fate." Carlisle continued with his fabrication. "So I put her in the care of someone I knew I could trust."

"Who?" Rosalie asked, a little bitter that Carlisle would not have brought a child home to raise. She had always wanted to be a mother, but at the same time, she understood Carlisle's line of thinking.

"With…a friend." Carlisle could not look at Bella. He would not let them know he had left her with Charlie, that would only cause more questions to be asked. "Someone I could trust."

"And your friend lives here?" Edward deducted.

Carlisle nodded. "He moved here…two years ago. I had no idea otherwise I would have let you all know about the girl."

Esme immediately perked up, realizing that Carlisle was in fact talking about Charlie and Renesmee.

"So there is a half-human, half-vampire walking around Cassleville High School?" Jasper concluded.

"Yes." Carlisle nodded, his lie coming to an end. "So just…leave her alone. I am not sure how much of our world she knows about, and I don't want any of you to be exposed…not until we can get out of here."

"Out of here?" Bella looked up. "As in move?"

"I think it would be best..." Carlisle started.

"Because of one girl?" Rosalie was appalled. "No way, I am not moving again and starting this high school crap over again. Two years, we can move, but right now, lets just finish up here."

"I really think it would be best if we left." Carlisle pressed.

"No one wants to leave." Edward read everyone's mind at once. They all wanted to stay, if for no reason other than to learn more about this girl who was so similar to Renesmee. They all were intrigued to know what his daughter would have grown up to be like, had she survived, especially Bella. Edward's heart broke for his wife and all the pain she was experiencing.

"Fine." Carlisle tried to sound uninterested, but could feel the frustration boiling inside of him. He wanted to get as far from Charlie and Renesmee as he could, but that seemed impossible.

* * *

Renesmee pulled her Escalade up to Jacob's home on the reservation, honking horn twice before hopping out of the truck to see Jacob, Sam, Paul, and Leah heading up the road toward her from Jacob's garage. The two packs had been getting along again, and Sam was slowly starting to step down to let Jacob lead both packs.

Jacob reached his imprint first, and pulled her in for a big hug and kiss. "Nessie, what are you doing here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Sam joked.

Renesmee narrowed her eyes, half teasing. "And aren't you supposed to like…know when vampires are around?"

"What are you talking about?" Jacob asked, wrapping an arm around Renesmee's shoulder.

"There were some vampire's at school today." Renesmee said.

"Damn it! I knew it!" Paul clenched his fist, looking at Paul. "I told you I smelt them."

Sam nodded in agreement. "I know."

"Did you handle them, Nessie?" Leah asked, remembering how strong Renesmee was and how good of a fighter she could be when she had to be.

"Well…not exactly." Renesmee sighed.

"What happened?" Jacob could see Renesmee was struggling to say something.

"I…I kind of knew them." Renesmee looked at her feet.

"Who? The vampires?" Leah asked.

Renesmee nodded, looking back up. "We all kind of know them."

"You're not making any sense…" Sam said slowly.

"I walked into biology…and…well…my mom and dad were sitting there…just sitting there." Renesmee explained.

"Edward and Bella?" Jacob was shocked. It had been years since he had heard from or seen Bella and he knew that the Cullen's were supposed to steer clear of Renesmee, especially since she had asked Carlisle to leave her alone.

"Yeah." Renesmee let out a stifled laugh. "Just sitting right there."

"What are they doing back here?" Paul asked.

"Apparently…they moved back here." Renesmee shrugged. "We went and talked to Carlisle and…"

"Carlisle? Meaning they are all back?" Sam asked.

Renesmee nodded. "He didn't know we moved to Cassleville, he thought we still lived in Forks."

"Still, that is awfully close to you." Leah said.

Renesmee nodded at the other girl. "I know. But…they didn't recognize me." She let out a small laugh. "I guess seven years can really make a memory fade, huh?"

"You have changed a lot, Nessie…" Sam tried.

"I guess." Renesmee sighed. "It's better they didn't recognize me anyway. I don't want…you know…them in my life. I am perfectly happy how I am."

"It's only a matter of time before they recognize you." Jacob said. "Bella isn't stupid…she may not have noticed it this time, but she is your mother. She loved you…with unbelievable strength. I am not so sure she doesn't remember you."

"Carlisle said…" Renesmee started, her eyes tense, unable to fathom the ramifications of her family remembering her.

"I think Carlisle could be wrong here." Jacob said. "I don't think Bella could forget you that easily. A mother like Bella could never forget their child."

Renesmee shrugged Jacob's hand away from her in anger. "Bella…was never a mother to me."

"Nessie, don't say that." Jacob furrowed his brow at the girl he loved. "She was a great mother to you. She loved you very much…she fought to keep you alive and she never stopped loving you."

Renesmee shrugged. "I really can't remember and truthfully…I don't care." And she didn't care. As far as Renesmee was concerned, she had never had and would never need a mother. Bella had done nothing for her, except walk away. Renesmee knew that her parents had looked for her when she was younger, but she held it against them that they had never found her. In the back of her mind, she felt if they had wanted to find her bad enough they would have, and they never did. She was lost to them, and so they were now lost to her. She didn't need any of them, not her mother, not her father; Renesmee had all she needed. She had Charlie and he had always taken care of her.


	5. Edward Grabs The Wrong Girl

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 4**

Renesmee reluctantly made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Jacob and Charlie were standing, each with a cup of coffee in their hand. She did not want to go to school again, because she did not want to see her parents. She hoped Carlisle had made up some excuse as to why her parents couldn't go to school for the day, then she could avoid them at all costs. Regardless of what Carlisle had told her and Charlie the day before, she was still nervous that she would be recognized.

"All ready for school?" Charlie asked.

Renesmee nodded, her lose ponytail bouncing with each nod. "I guess."

"You will be fine." Charlie reassured his granddaughter. "Just…if your parents are there, just try to avoid them."

"Well, since they are in at least one of my classes I don't know how successful I will be at that." Renesmee sighed. She had hated biology before, but now, with her parents in that class, she hated it more.

"You will be fine, Nes." Jacob grabbed her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "Just…don't let Edward read your thoughts." Jacob knew, if the vampire got inside Renesmee's mind, it would be seconds before he realized who she was, and that was something that could not occur.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Renesmee asked.

"Just…think about anything but this whole situation. Think about sports, or eating, or sing a song in your head if you need to, just don't let your dad see any part of you." Jacob told her.

"Okay, I'll try my best." Renesmee sighed, kissing Jacob and knowing she had a long day ahead of her, if not a long week. She just hoped Carlisle would be able to move as soon as possible so that she could avoid seeing her parents anymore then she had to. In truth, she just wanted the whole situation to go away. Her life had been going great, and now, because of her parents presence in Cassleville, the life she had tried to keep so normal was beginning to shatter, and her parents didn't even know, nor would they ever know, they were doing that to her.

* * *

The Cullen's all stood in between Edward and Emmett's cars that were parked in the lot at Cassleville High School, discussing their plan of action for the day in regards to the girl that they did not know was Renesmee

"Carlisle said we should just leave her alone." Edward reminded his family as he wrapped an arm around Bella's waist. He really just wanted to avoid the girl as much as possible, something about her called to him and he felt the urge to protect that girl in a similar way to the urge he felt to keep Bella safe. That feeling alone scared him.

"Yeah, but when are we ever going to get to be around another girl like her again?" Alice asked. "It could be kind of neat to get to know her."

"Or dangerous." Jasper stated. "She could expose us."

"Alice is right though." Bella spoke up. "We will never meet someone like her again. Maybe we should try to get to know her…" In truth, Bella was beyond curious about the girl named R.E. because she represented everything Renesmee could have been, had she lived. Since Carlisle had told them all what R.E. was, Bella could not stop thinking about Renesmee, it was driving her crazy.

"Bella, you are just saying that because of Renesmee." Rosalie said bluntly. She was not meaning to be mean, just honest. She too missed Renesmee, but did not think getting close to that girl was worth the possible price that would be paid.

Edward was about to jump at Rosalie, pulling her head off in the process for being so rude, and Emmett saw it written all over Edward's face.

"Rose…" Emmett tapped her shoulder, scolding her for being so blunt.

Bella looked away, rubbing her arm in an awkward stance. "No, Rosalie is right." Bella glanced up. "Its just…I always wondered…what Renesmee would have been like. This girl seems like she is the closest thing I will ever get to knowing. But it is dangerous…she could expose us."

Suddenly, Renesmee's Black Escalade came flying into the parking lot much to fast, and slide safely into a spot much too easily for a human.

Edward frowned at the Escalade. "Or she could expose herself. She clearly has no desire to make herself more subtle." He turned to Bella. "Let's go inside?"

Bella nodded, allowing Edward to wrap his hand in hers and walk her to class. The rest of the Cullen's followed suit.

Once they Cullen family was inside, Renesmee, full of relief got out of her car. She was immediately joined by Derek.

"R.E.? Heard you jumped out a window yesterday." Derek said, flipping his medium length, curly blonde hair out of his eyes.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "You heard?"

"Everyone heard." Derek told her. "News like that…in a school this small…it gets around."

"Great." Renesmee took a deep breath as she walked toward the building, knowing that her leap from the biology window would be the topic of conversation in the school that day.

* * *

Bella and Edward sat next to each other in biology in silence. Both were curious to see if the hybrid known as R.E. would show up or avoid that particular class, since she had seemed to not want to be around them the day before.

The bell rang, and there was no sign of R.E.

"Guess she is bailing." Bella turned to her husband.

Edward shrugged. "Maybe."

Suddenly, as Ms. Martin rose to the front of the room, the door swung open and R.E. gracefully made her way into the classroom. Immediately, the class, minus Bella, Edward, and Ms. Martin erupted in cheers, clearly condoning Renesmee's jump from the day before.

"Glad to know I was missed." Renesmee took a bow in front of the class.

Bella rolled her eyes, glancing at Edward. "She is very cocky."

Edward nodded, watching Renesmee closely. He felt like he knew her, and yet he knew there was no way that was possible. He had no idea it was his daughter.

"Take your seat, Ms. Masen." Ms. Martin glared at Renesmee.

"Sure thing." Renesmee gave a crocked smile, that to Bella, eerily resembled Edward's.

"And Ms. Masen." Ms. Martin called as Renesmee made her way to her seat, located behind Bella and Edward.

Renesmee turned to face her teacher. "Yeah?"

"I missed you after school yesterday, but you can make it up today, assuming you won't be leaping from any windows?" Ms. Masen asked.

The class irrupted into cheers yet again.

"I think I will be staying in my seat today." Renesmee shot back, sliding into her seat next to Julie and right behind Edward.

"Nice to know you're alive." Julie whispered to her friend. "I tried to call you last night."

"Yeah. Sorry. I was busy." Renesmee replied.

"Too busy to call me?" Julie was hurt, Renesmee was her best friend, and she was not fond of the short answers she was getting from her.

"Yeah. Sorry." Renesmee answered, although not really listening to Julie, her focus was on keeping Edward out of her thoughts.

"Whatever…" Julie snorted as Ms. Martin began speaking.

As the class began, Edward tried to focus on Renesmee's thoughts to see if he could learn little bit more about the girl, but to his despise the only thing going through Renesmee's head was an O.A.R. song. It was as if the girl behind him knew Edward's ability to read minds and was blocking him.

Edward turned in his seat, glaring at Renesmee.

Renesmee met Edward's glare, able to easily see the confusion on his face. She could tell the singing was working, he knew nothing about her, he had no idea he was her father. She grinned at him, through a clenched jaw before directing her attention out the window, the song still playing in her head.

Edward turned around in his seat, frustrated.

Bella could easily see the irritation on her husband's face and reached out, touching his clenched fist. "Edward, what's wrong?"

The bell rang again, and Renesmee bolted out of her seat, glad she had avoided letting Edward into her mind for the day, but unsure if she would be able to keep her father out of her head every single day. Carlisle needed to move soon.

"Her." Edward answered Bella, nodding toward the door Renesmee had taken off out of. "I was trying to read her…understand her more. It was like she knew I could read her mind, she just kept singing a song in her head, over and over…" Edward sighed.

Bella gently caressed the back of Edward's neck. "Honey, Carlisle could have told her. He does know her, remember?"

"But what would she have to hide?" Edward asked. "If Carlisle told her about us, then she must know we know about her…so what is she hiding."

Bella shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Just forget it. You could be reading too much into it." She stood, indicting for Edward to follow her.

Edward did so reluctantly. He was angry Renesmee had blocked him, but more curious about what the girl was hiding from him.

* * *

Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie all sat at a table together toward the back of the cafeteria, waiting for Edward and Bella to arrive. None of them wanted to admit it but they were curious how Edward and Bella's biology with the hybrid girl name R.E. had gone.

Finally, Edward and Bella entered the cafeteria hand-in-hand, their snow white skin identical to one another.

Alice motioned for her brother and sister-in-law to come sit down.

Edward and Bella did so, taking the two seats left open for them.

"So? How did it go?" Alice asked, a smile on her face.

"How did what go?" Bella asked.

"With that girl…your biology class." Emmett was just as interested as Alice.

Edward shook his head, not saying anything. He was still slightly annoyed by Renesmee blocking him out.

"She…kept Edward out of her head." Bella patted Edward's stone hand with her own, explaining her husband's behavior.

"Ouch." Emmett leaned back in her chair, glancing at Edward. "So she knows about your…_talent_?"

Edward just glared at his brother.

Jasper suppressed a laugh. "I take it that bothers you, Edward?"

Edward couldn't help but crack a smile, realizing how ridiculous it was for him to be angry over something so small. Why did he care so much about what was going on in that R.E. girl's head anyway? She meant nothing to him. "I know, it's stupid."

"A little bit." Rosalie was fixing her makeup in a hand-held mirror.

"I guess it is." Edward grinned, relaxing a bit and entwining his finger's with Bella's.

Bella immediately looked up, seeing the passion in Edward's eyes and wishing that they were home, alone in their room, instead of stuck in the cafeteria of their new high school.

"You two need a room." Jasper commented, able to feel the emotions of Bella and Edward.

Edward looked away from Bella giving Jasper a devious smile. "Well, don't pay attention to us, then."

"You don't need to be able to read minds to see what's on your mind." Emmett joked, always loving to tease Bella and Edward about their sex life.

"Shut it, Emmett." Bella told him, always easily annoyed by those particular jokes of Emmett's.

Edward stifled a laugh. He could not help but find Bella's reaction to any talk of their sex life rather funny. His laugh was short lived though, when suddenly his mind filled again with the O.A.R. song from class. He turned quickly to see R.E. with Derek next to her, walking toward the table behind them, with Julie, Nick, and Lucy all sat.

"Here she comes. Emmett nodded toward Renesmee at the door.

Renesmee and Derek walked past the table of Cullen's as if they did not notice the group of new students. And to anyone that was exactly how it seemed, anyone but Edward.

Renesmee noticed her father that had no idea who she was staring at her, and so she glared back at Edward. _Stay out of my head…leech_. She thought, using the derogatory word for vampire she had heard Jacob's pack use and knowing Edward would hear her.

That was the last straw for Edward. He knew she knew what he was trying to do now, and the fact that she wouldn't let him in, drove him mad. Before he was thinking clearly, and before anyone could stop him, Edward was up, moving swiftly toward Renesmee.

Renesmee had reached her table and was setting her food down when she felt an ice cold hand wrap around her arm. Before she could register her actions, Renesmee turned, flinging Edward off of her and half way across the cafeteria, where he landed, breaking a table.

Immediately, the cafeteria burst into cheers. All of the students knew you didn't mess with R.E. Masen and get away with it.

Renesmee on the other hand, panicked, unable to believe her first reaction to her father's touch was to hurl him through the air. Immediately, she took off, running out of the lunch room before anyone could stop her.

Bella, however, would not let the girl get away with hurting her Edward so easily and for stupidly exposing her super-human strength, and she quickly followed Renesmee out to the parking lot, having no idea she was following her own daughter.

Renesmee was at her car, yanking the door opened when Bella reached her. Bella immediately, slammed Renesmee's door shut, holding it so that the girl could not open it.

"Are you crazy?" Bella asked.

"Excuse me?" Renesmee tried to act as calm as possible, but it was hard. It was the first time she had really heard her mother's voice in seven years, and it sent chills down her spin.

"Don't play dumb. I know exactly what you are." Bella said.

Renesmee snorted, Bella's words angering her a bit. How could the women who had not seen her in seven years, the women who did not even know she was her mother, say she knew anything about her? "You don't know anything."

"You can't do stuff like that…you draw attention…" Bella started to change the subject, finding it hard to continue to yell as she stared into the girl's familiar eyes. She had no idea she was starring at the eyes of her own daughter, the eyes she had given to her child.

"Relax." Renesmee regained composure. "I am not going to expose you or your little vampires. Plus…if I exposed anyone it was myself, Edward didn't push me back…"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "You know his name?"

"I know a lot more then you think." Renesmee clenched her jaw.

"Just calm down for a second…" Bella could see she was angering the hybrid in front of her and did not want another episode like in the cafeteria to take place.

"Don't tell me what to do." Renesmee yanked the door to her Cadillac open with unbelievable strength, causing Bella to let go. "And don't come out here like you know me." Renesmee climbed into her truck. "Because you don't! You don't know a damn thing about me!"

Renesmee slammed the door and hit the gas, speeding off and leaving Bella in the dust.

Bella stood there for a moment, slightly confused and startled. She could not place it, but she felt like she had known the girl who had just slammed a door in her face. The big brown eyes look so familiar and yet so unfamiliar, especially with the apparent rage in them that was radiating off of the girl known as R.E. to Bella.


	6. Accidents and Arrests

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 5**

It was finally Saturday, and the Cullen's were glad. It had been a long first week at school for Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper between just starting school and the incident between Edward and Renesmee. Although, after the episode occurrence, the week had been less eventful, with Renesmee not showing up for any of her classes.

The whole Cullen family was in the kitchen when Bella and Edward descended the stairs from their room, Edward's hair more disheveled than usual.

"Wow…Ed…nice hair." Jasper smiled.

"Someone mess it up on you?" Emmett hinted, indicating he knew that Bella and Edward had been _busy _the night before.

"Emmett, serious…I will hurt you." Bella threatened Emmett for his sex comment.

"Yeah? Gonna throw me across the room like that R.E. chick did to Edward?" Emmett joked.

"Emmett…come on." Edward grumbled, still upset about what had happened between himself and Renesmee, never knowing his daughter had been the one to throw him like a rag doll.

"Don't worry about it, doesn't look like the girl is coming back so you won't have another embarrassing encounter." Rosalie teased.

Carlisle looked up from the magazine he was reading at the table. "Did you say she hasn't showed up?

"Who? That R.E. girl?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle nodded.

"Yeah, since…well since the cafeteria the girl has not been in school at all." Alice said.

"Strange…" Carlisle looked to Esme and she could easily see his concern for their granddaughter.

"Who cares? She has been nothing but a problem." Rosalie commented.

"Rosalie…you don't know the girl…" Esme started.

"Ask Bella." Rosalie said. "She yelled at her."

"What?" Carlisle asked, annoyed that no one had told him that.

Bella shrugged. "I ran off after her when she threw Edward…she just had a temper you could say."

Carlisle stifled a laugh. He knew exactly what kind of temper Renesmee could have when she was angry, and it was a big temper.

"What is so funny, Carlisle?" Edward was slightly confused, and did not enjoy Carlisle laughing at his wife.

"It's nothing." Carlisle stood. "I have to be going…I was…called into the office." Carlisle lied as he walked out the door of the Cullen home. He did not have to go to work, but he did need to go somewhere his family could not know about. He wanted to go talk to Charlie and Renesmee, and see how things were, especially if his granddaughter had not been in school the past few days.

* * *

Renesmee and Jacob were out on Charlie's driveway, playing basketball. It was a sunny morning, and Renesmee enjoyed the sun on her skin. She was glad that she, unlike vampires, did not sparkle enough to garner a human's attention because she enjoyed the sun.

Jacob passed Renesmee the ball and went to defend her, but she beat him to the hoop with her speed.

"A little too fast for you?" Renesmee teased, tossing Jacob back the ball.

"You wish…" Jacob shot the ball, sinking it.

Renesmee grabbed the ball and was back at the top of the key that Charlie had painted down for the before Jacob could blink. "Well…you always tell me you like it fast." Renesmee teased more, although she was no longer talking about basketball.

Jacob grinned, and grabbed Renesmee in a bear hug, landing a trail of kisses from her ear to the base of her neck. "You know me so well."

Renesmee smiled and pulled Jacob in for a kiss before releasing him. "It's easy when you spend so much time together."

"Yeah. I enjoyed it." Jacob spoke of the week prior. Since Renesmee had explained the incident with Edward to Charlie he had allowed her to stay home for the week, and since Charlie worked, Renesmee had spent most of her time with Jacob.

"Don't get used to it." Renesmee dribbled the basketball. "Charlie is making me go back to school on Monday."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Lame."

"Don't I know it…" Renesmee sighed, not looking forward to another week at school, trying to hide from her parents.

Suddenly, Jacob perked up, the familiar smell of vampires entering his nostrils.

"Vampire?" Renesmee guessed by Jacob's facial reaction, although she did not have to wait for an answer, as the smell penetrated her nose shortly after.

Suddenly, a black BMW pulled into the driveway, and Renesmee recognized it immediately. It was her Grandpa Carlisle. Immediately raged filled her body. "Who the hell does he think he is, showing up here?" Renesmee began to step toward the car.

Jacob, realizing Renesmee was livid, tried to grab her, but she easily flicked him off of her, sending him into the garage. He quickly gathered himself and filled in behind her as she approached Carlisle who was getting out of his car.

"Nessie! Jacob! Good to see you." Carlisle moved to kiss his granddaughter but she dodged his jester.

"What the hell do you think you are doing here?" Renesmee asked.

Carlisle took a deep breath. He had a feeling Renesmee would act like this. "I came to check on you…I heard you hadn't been in school."

"No thanks to Edward." Jacob defended his imprint.

"I heard." Carlisle nodded. "I am sorry…I had no idea…"

"I thought you were leaving?" Renesmee stepped toward Carlisle. "I thought you were all picking up and leaving!" She pushed her grandfather.

"Nessie…" Jacob grabbed Renesmee, restraining her with his werewolf strength.

Suddenly, Charlie, hearing all the commotion outside, came out the front door to find Jacob holding Renesmee back and Carlisle standing in front of her, as still as a statue.

"What…uh…what's going on out here?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing, I was just about to kill someone." Renesmee glanced at Charlie, giving a sarcastic smile.

"Okay…everyone get in the house." Charlie motioned.

Jacob, without letting Renesmee go, swung her over his shoulder and carried her in past Charlie.

Carlisle followed the werewolf and his granddaughter, but stopped at the door, shaking Charlie's hand. "Good to see you again, Charlie."

Charlie just nodded, motioning Carlisle into the house.

Once inside, Jacob set Renesmee down on a couch in the living room, before taking a seat next to her. Charlie and Carlisle followed in shortly after, Carlisle sitting on the opposite couch, while Charlie opted for his recliner.

"So…what the hell is going on?" Charlie looked to Renesmee.

"Why are you looking at me?" Renesmee spat, pointing at Carlisle. "He showed up!"

"_He_ is your grandfather just like I am and you show _him _just as much respect. Do you understand me?" Charlie was sternly.

"Yes." Renesmee mumbled, leaning back into the couch patting.

Charlie just shook his head, even if she looked like she was seventeen, and acted like it, every once and while Renesmee would act her exact age of seven, and this was one of those times. He turned his attention to Carlisle. "Carlisle? As much as I love you coming by to see Renesmee…I have to ask why?"

"I am sorry for coming by with no notice…I just wanted to make sure Renesmee was okay. I heard what happened between her and Edward at school only this morning…" Carlisle turned his attention to Renesmee. "And I wanted to apologize for whatever your father did that set that altercation off."

"He is not my father…" Renesmee continued to mumble about Edward.

"Renesmee…" Charlie sighed. He hated when she got angry at her parents for no reason. He had never been a huge fan of Edward, but he knew Edward was a good…vampire…who had always taken good care of Bella. Charlie did not want Renesmee to hate a father she had not really gotten a chance to know.

Renesmee rolled her eyes and then sat up, looking at Carlisle. "Its fine Grandpa Carlisle…He didn't do anything wrong. I kind of set him off…"

"You didn't tell me that." Charlie narrowed his eyes at his granddaughter.

Renesmee shrugged. "Didn't seem important at the time."

"What did you do?" Carlisle asked, knowing Edward did not have a short temper, so for him to get so enraged, Renesmee must have done something pretty bad.

"I just…I may have said something to him in my head…about leaving me alone…" Renesmee gave a nervous smile.

"Renesmee…" Charlie scolded.

"What?" Renesmee shrugged, running a hand through her blonde hair. "I just want them to leave me alone." She looked back up at Carlisle. "I thought you were leaving soon?"

"I tried…the kids…they don't want to…" Carlisle started. "But at any rate…if we stay I can assure you the kids will stay out of your way. We really are of no danger to you anymore, Renesmee, the Volturi aren't after you anymore…"

"Who cares?! I want you gone! I asked you to keep my parents out of my life and you promised you would! I can't tiptoe around school for the next two years hoping they don't figure me out!" Renesmee stood.

"Nes…calm down…" Jacob tried to pull Renesmee back into her seat.

"No!" Renesmee shrugged Jacob's hand off before moving toward the door.

Charlie stood. "Where are you going?"

Renesmee grabbed her jacket by the door and then her keys. "Out! I had plans with _my_ friends from _my _school!"

"Nes…" Charlie started, but the only response he received was the slamming of the front door and the rev of Renesmee's Escalade from the driveway a moment later before the car was gone.

Jacob stood. "I should stop her."

"Forget it, Jake." Charlie sat back down in his chair, motioning for Jacob to do the same. "You know how she is when she is angry…you only get hurt when you get in her way."

Jacob sighed, knowing Charlie was right. Whenever Renesmee was angry, and Jacob tried to stop her or calm her, he usually ended up with a broken rib or two. He sat back down.

"I am sorry for all of this, Charlie." Carlisle said sincerely. "This is just a big mess…I never wanted to upset Renesmee."

Charlie just shook his head, picking up his beer off the table and taking a sip. "It's no big deal. Nessie tends to get mad easily and be brash…she will come back in a few hours much calmer and with a plan to go to school and avoid Edward and Bella. Trust me…she is very resourceful."

Jacob couldn't help but smile at Charlie's perfect description of Renesmee. Her grandfather knew her and her attitude so well, almost as well as Jacob knew her.

* * *

Bella, Edward, Jasper, and Alice sat in the living room, bored out of their minds on their Saturday afternoon.

"We have got to figure out something to do." Jasper stared at the ceiling.

Edward pulled Bella up on his lap, kissing her. "I could think of a million things we could do…" He teased her, leaning his forehead against her's.

"Oh yeah?" Bella smiled at Edward's seductive invitation. Seven years later, and the two still spent time in their room like newlyweds.

"Seriously, you two…" Alice rolled her eyes. "Enough with the groping…"

Edward grinned up at his sister. "I just enjoy my wife…"

"A little too much." Alice told him.

Bella rolled her eyes and climbed off of Edward. "Well…since we have all night…why don't we do something as a family?"

"Like what?" Jasper raised an eyebrow. It was a rare occurrence that all of the Cullen's did anything together.

"I don't know." Bella shrugged. "Maybe a movie or something?"

"A movie sounds wonderful." Esme entered from the kitchen. "We could all use some time together."

Suddenly Rosalie and Emmett appeared, making their way from their bedroom. Emmett had a grin on his face that allowed Edward and Jasper to know exactly what had just transpired between Emmett and Rosalie in their bedroom.

"What about a movie?" Rosalie asked.

"Bella thought we could all go see one, as a family." Esme said. "Don't you think that would be nice?"

Rosalie shrugged. "Sure…"

"I am in." Emmett smiled, grabbing Bella and twirling her around. "Anything for my little sister…"

"Great." Esme clapped her hands. "Then it is settled. We will let Carlisle know when he gets home. Someone look up movie times…"

"On it." Jasper volunteered, grabbing Alice's laptop that was on the seat next to him.

* * *

Renesmee pulled her Escalade up to the fence at the beach. She stepped out and immediately heard the blaring sounds of music and the smell of smoke. She made her way onto the beach to find half of her school partying. Kids were everywhere, dancing, swimming, playing beer pong, roasting marshmallows, surfing, and doing keg stands. Renesmee made her way through the drunken crowd of high school students, handing out high fives to everyone around until she found Julie, Nick, and Lucky sitting on a log near one of the fire pits.

"R.E.!" Julie jumped up, hugging her best friend. "You came!"

"Why wouldn't I have?" Renesmee asked.

"Well…you have been M.I.A. in school…" Lucy told her.

Renesmee nodded, placing her brown hoodie down on the log next to Nick. "Well…after I knocked that Cullen kid out I figured it was best to lay low."

"You were lucky no teachers saw you." Nick commented.

"And that that Edward boy didn't tell anyone what happened…" Lucy added.

"He didn't?" Renesmee's temper flared. She almost wished her father had told on her, and then she would have a real reason to hate him.

"R.E., are you okay?" Julie noticed her friend's face had gone stone-cold.

"Just had a bad day…" Renesmee responded.

"Well I know how to fix that!" Derek showed up, holding two red cups of beer and handed one to Renesmee. "Bottoms up?"

"Hells yes." Renesmee took the beer from Derek and finished it in one swift motion.

"Damn…it must have been a really bad day…" Derek joked, noticing how fast Renesmee had finished her drink.

"It was." Renesmee nodded.

"Well, let's just keep going then!" Derek grabbed another round of beers for Renesmee, Nick, Julie, Lucy, and himself. "Let's toast! R.E.?"

Renesmee nodded. "To...not giving a shit about anyone or anything!" She held her cup up to her friends, and they all cheered before chugging their beers.

* * *

Carlisle made his way back into his home to find Bella and Edward kissing each other on the couch of his living room. If it had been any other time, he would have cracked a small joke at the two of them, but he was not in the right frame of mind; he felt terrible for causing Renesmee so much pain that afternoon.

"Carlisle!" Bella noticed him first, and jumped off of Edward, knowing if she were still human she would have blushed.

"Hello you two." Carlisle nodded to the couch.

"Are you okay?" Edward noticed Carlisle's long face.

"Sure." Carlisle gave a half-hearted smile, but it was enough to satisfy Edward.

"Carlisle?" Esme walked in, kissing her husband. "How was work?"

"Fine." Carlisle nodded.

"We are all going to the movies tonight." Bella sat on her knees, leaning over the couch. "Kind of a family night."

"Lovely." Carlisle smiled, thinking a movie would be a great way to get his mind off of all that had happened. "I am just going to head to my office for a little. When are we leaving?"

"Movie is in like an hour...so a little before that." Bella said, flopping back around and wrapping an arm around Edward's neck as she did so.

Carlisle just tilted his head toward the direction of his office, and Esme took her cue, following him down the hall and closing the door behind them.

"What's wrong?" Esme said, reading her husband instantly.

"I went over to see Charlie and Renesmee today." Carlisle said.

"I figured that." Esme nodded. She knew her husband so well. "And..."

"And Renesmee is beyond mad. She really wants us to leave…and I can't blame her." Carlisle said truthfully. "I did promise her I would keep her parents out of her life, and I am not fulfilling that promise by any means right now."

"The kids don't want to leave." Esme said.

Carlisle shook his head. "I understand that…but Esme…if you had seen how angry she was today. Our little Renesmee…she pushed me."

"She what?" Esme was surprised. She had always known her granddaughter to be a little short tempered, but never physical with it. Now two pushing incidents, the first with Edward at school, in one week made Esme feel like she no longer knew her grandchild.

"She is so angry…" Carlisle shook her head. "And I can't help but feel that it has something to do with us being here…she isn't really able to handle seeing Edward and Bella, and who could blame her? She hasn't seen them in so long…she doesn't want to see them…"

"If we are ruining Renesmee's life here then it isn't worth it." Esme nodded. "I don't want that child to hurt anymore then she already has."

"Neither do I." Carlisle agreed. "If all she wants is for us to leave her alone…then I think it's the least we can do for her."

Esme nodded. "Then it's settled. We will leave here after the weekend."

"What about the rest of them?" Carlisle nodded outside, indicating his family.

"They will have to get over it." Esme told him. "We can tell them after the movies."

Carlisle nodded, loving his wife so much for being so loving and concerned about Renesmee. Esme did not want to see any child suffer, but especially not her granddaughter that had already had to deal with enough turmoil and pain to last anyone a lifetime.

* * *

Renesmee lay down in the sand, taking a few sips of her beer as a very drunk Derek plopped down next to her, followed by a stumbling Julie. Renesmee had to laugh at her friends and their drunkenness. She was nowhere near as drunk as they were, her vampire-half making it hard for her to absorb any liquid aside from blood.

"What…a…night." Derek managed to get out, staring up at the stars.

"I'll drink to that." Renesmee tipped her glass to him before finishing her beer.

"I'm so glad you came, R.E." Julie told her friend. "I worried I wasn't going to see you anymore."

"Why?" Renesmee sat up, laughing at her friend, as Julie handed her fresh cup of beer.

"It's not funny." Julie was trying to make the most serious face a drunk person could make. "Because sometimes…you do stuff like that…you bail out…and we don't see you for weeks…and, us being best friends…it is not fun to not have your best friend around…you know?"

"Wow." Renesmee laughed, tilting her new beer toward Julie.. "You are wasted."

"I am not…" Julie tried to be serious, but ended up giggling instead.

"Hammered." Derek giggled at Julie.

Just then, Lucy and Nick came stumbling over.

"I…am…ready to go home…" Lucy said, leaning onto Nick's shirt.

"Let's move out!" Derek said, grabbing his keys from his pocket.

Renesmee immediately grabbed Derek's hand. "Hold on there, partner. You aren't driving."

"I am fine…" Derek slurred.

"I'll drive." Renesmee said, knowing she was more than capable of handling driving.

"Are you…drunk?" Nick squinted at Renesmee.

"No." Renesmee replied. "So I will drive." She stood. "I just have to go get my jacket. I'll meet you by my truck."

Renesmee watched as her four friends made their way to where all the cars were parked and then she sprinted to the log they were sitting at earlier to pick up her hoodie. She then proceeded up the walkway to her car, after saying goodbye to everyone she passed. As she looked toward her car, however, she saw no one by it, and then, out of the corner of her eye, saw Derek's pick-up truck swerving out of the parking lot.

"Shit!" Renesmee sprinted to her Escalade, jumping in the front seat, throwing the cup of beer she was still holding in the front seat's cup holder, and speeding off after Derek, knowing he was drunk-driving and the rest of her stupid friends were with him. She needed to stop him before anyone got hurt.

Renesmee continued to chase after Derek but realized he must have thought they were playing a game, because every time she sped up to catch him, he sped up to. It went on for about five minutes and Renesmee was just about to catch them, when they came to an intersection, and she watched, in horror as Derek ran the red-light, smashing into two other cars before another one came slamming into the pile.

Renesmee felt every part of her body freeze for a split second, and then she reacted, jumping out of the car and running forward to the accident. Already, people were lined up on the side of the road, dialing 9-1-1.

Renesmee made her way up to the smashed up pick-up and saw all four of her friends mangled in the wreck.

"Shit!" Renesmee grabbed onto her long blonde locks, pacing away from the accident then back toward it, at a loss for what to do.

"I called an ambulance." A man came up next to Renesmee.

"Those are my friends." Renesmee pointed to the pick-up and then did the only thing she could think of. She climbed inside of it, finding Derek, Nick, Julie, and Lucy all breathing but barely conscious.

"R.E.?" Julie's voice was weak.

"Shit, Julie." Renesmee moved to the backseat, slicing her stomach on some broken glass. "Let me get you out of here."

"My leg…" Julie started.

Renesmee went to grab Julie and immediately the strong scent of blood hit her, causing Renesmee to want to bit Julie more than save her. She still didn't do well around blood, and she fought all urges to kill her bleeding friends instead of save them.

Renesmee moved quickly, yanking Julie, Nick, Lucy, and Derek all out of the car and getting them into the trunk of her Escalade. She could hear their heart-beats all weakening and knew she could make it to the hospital faster than any ambulance, so that was exactly what she did.

"I don't know if you should move them." A woman came up to Renesmee.

"They are dying." Renesmee shot back.

Before the women could respond, Renesmee was in the driver's seat of her car already.

Renesmee speed off the direction of the hospital, focusing on her friends' heart-beats and trying to not breathe so she did not inhale the sweet scent of their blood and therefore was not tempted to drink them all dry. She noticed Julie's heartbeat was the faintest of all switch made her only drive faster. Julie was her best friend, and she would not let her die, not like that.

* * *

Carlisle and Emmett both decided to drive to the movie thearter. In Emmett's car, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice road, while Carlisle drove Esme, Edward, Bella, and himself. Carlisle's car was rather quiet, with both Esme and Carlisle trying to figure out a way to explain to the rest of the Cullen's that they had to leave Cassleville.

Fortuniately for them, they didn't have to think too long before Edward picked up on their thoughts.

"You two want to leave?" Edward glanced between Esme and Carlisle as he held Bella's hand firmly in his own.

"Edward…you shouldn't be in our heads." Carlisle scolded, as if Edward were five.

"Why do you want to leave?" Edward asked, ignoring Carlisle.

"It just seems to make the most sense. With everything going on at school and…" Esme started.

"You want us to move because of that girl?" Edward spoke of Renesmee though he did not know it.

"She was here first." Carlisle said. "It is only fair that we leave her alone…"

"Carlisle, we really haven't been the problem." Bella spoke up. "That girl…she has a temper. She has been the problem."

"Because we are here…" Carlisle pressed.

"You don't know that." Edward said. "For all you know her vampire father may have been some blood-thirsty psycho with an anger problem. It might not have anything to do with us."

Esme tried not to laugh at Edward who did not know he was actually Renesmee's father, and therefore was making fun of himself.

"We are still going to leave." Carlisle said firmly, and then looked to Bella who was looking down in the backseat. "I am sorry, Bella. I know you wanted to come back to Washington but it just is not going to work out. Maybe in a few years…"

"Its fine, Carlisle." Bella nodded up at her father-in-law. "It may be better if we just leave…"

"Bella…" Edward stared at his wife, knowing that was not what she had wanted.

"Edward, I am just tired of missing_ her_." Bella spoke of Renesmee. "I thought coming back to the only place I had ever been with her would make me miss her less, but its not. I just…I need to get over the fact that Renesmee is gone."

Carlisle's heart broke for the young vampire in his back seat, knowing he could ease her pain simply by telling her the truth, that Renesmee was not dead or gone, but in fact very close to them. Luckily, Carlisle did not have much time to think as his cell phone went off. He quickly flipped it open. "Dr. Cullen…yes…" Carlisle's face drew concern. "How many…yes…no, I can be there…I'll be right there…prep the O.R.'s…" He hung the phone up.

"What was that?" Esme asked.

"I am sorry…there was a major accident, they need me at the hospital." Carlisle said. "Tell Emmett to meet us there, so you can all still go to the movies."

Edward looked at Bella whose thoughts were clearly not on a movie any longer. "No…let them go enjoy the movie. We will come to the hospital with you and the four of us can go after you finish."

"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked.

"Makes the most sense." Esme nodded. "That way we can all see a movie."

"I am sorry again." Carlisle spoke to his car, turning in the direction of the hospital.

Edward just pulled Bella close to him, kissing the top of her head as they sped off to the hospital. He knew he could not keep Carlisle from helping people, so there was no point in even debating a movie or a move at that particular time.

* * *

Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Bella made their way into the hospital. Immediately, a short, stocky, nurse with curly blonde hair and big eyebrows rushed up to Carlisle.

"Dr. Cullen! There was a four car pile-up at the intersection of Cambridge. One of the people at the accident brought four teenagers here in her car…you need to take the next one coming in." The nurse explained, handing Carlisle a chart.

"Sure." Carlisle turned back to Esme, Edward, and Bella. "Just wait out here."

"No problem." Edward said, wrapping an arm around Bella and impressed with how well she was handling the hospital setting. She hated hospitals, but not because of the smell of blood, which was the reason most of the Cullen's hated hospitals. Bella hated them because they reminded her of Renesmee, and how a normal mother should have given birth to a normal child.

Suddenly, to Edward, Esme, and Bella's surprise, the door to the hospital swung open and Renesmee came running in, covered in blood and carrying Julie. Behind her came a big male nurse, carrying Nick.

"Where the hell is the doctor?" Renesmee screamed.

"That's the girl." The nurse pointed to Renesmee

"Right here." Carlisle turned to see his granddaughter and shock fell across his face. He rushed up to her side. "Are you okay?" He cupped Renesmee's bloody cheek in his hand.

"Fine, fine!" Renesmee barked. "She isn't!" Renesmee held up the bloody body of Julie.

"Okay, calm down." Carlisle said to his granddaughter.

"She is dying!" Renesmee panicked, and then lowered her voice. "She is my best friend…please…"

Carlisle nodded, understanding. "I will do all I can." He gathered Julie up from Renesmee. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"Fine, fine…just help her." Renesmee motioned to Julie's lifeless body in Carlisle's arms.

Carlisle nodded, and made his way through the doors to the operation room.

Once Carlisle was gone, Renesmee grabbed the back of her head, rubbing it in a state of shock before slamming her fist against the wall in frustration. She couldn't believe what had happened, what she had left happen. She should have taken the keys from Derek.

"That's the R.E. girl from school." Edward whispered to Esme as they watched Renesmee almost put a hole in the wall with her fist.

"I know who she is…" Esme breathed, unable to believe the mess of a girl a few yards from them was her beautiful granddaughter. She debated about going over to comfort Renesmee.

"You think we should go talk to her?" Bella asked, he heart breaking for some unknown reason as she watched the young, frustrated hybrid. Bella couldn't place her feelings for the girl, but assumed the reason she wanted to help was because R.E. reminded her so much of Renesmee.

Before Esme, Edward, or Bella could move, however, the male nurse who had carried Nick in came up to Renesmee, trying to calm her down.

"Ma'am please…just calm down…" The man tried.

Renesmee stopped punching the wall but did not look at the man, keeping her eyes glue to the hole she had created.

"You're…the chefs daughter from Forks…he is on his way…we recognized your car." The nurse told her.

Renesmee continued to star ahead until the man finally walked away. She then turned punching the wall once more before sinking down to her knees.

"Let me go help her." Esme went to move forward but a man rushed past her.

"R.E.!" Charlie screamed, knowing he could not say her real name in public, rushing to his granddaughters' side and gathering Renesmee up in his arms.

Bella, immediately recognizing Charlie's smell was in shock, paralyzed to see her father bent over the hybrid.

"Calm down! Calm down!" Charlie held a violently shaking Renesmee in his arms as he felt her tears begin to penetrate his shoulder. After a few seconds, she was still, and he kissed her forehead. "Are you okay?"

"Julie…Derek…" Renesmee managed out.

"I know…I know, I heard." Charlie held his granddaughter close to him and slowly stood with her. "But they will be fine." He pushed some of her blonde hair out of her face, unable to catch it all because some had dried to her face with blood. "Are you okay?"

Renesmee nodded. "I'm okay."

"Thank God." Charlie hugged her again.

"Dad?" Bella chocked out, after what seemed like an eternity.

Charlie froze for a moment, recognizing that voice anywhere. He knew it was his Bella before he even turned to look, seeing Bella, Edward, and Esme. "Bella?"

Renesmee turned to see both of her parents and her grandmother standing a down the hall from them, and she felt a lump form in her throat. This was the last thing she needed right now.

"Dad!" Bella smiled, rushing up to Charlie and hugging him. She had missed him so much, seven years was a long time to go without seeing him.

Charlie hugged his daughter back, forgetting for a moment all that was going on around them. He had missed Bella so much. "Baby…it's good to see you."

Finally Bella let go of Charlie and Edward and Esme were at her side.

"Charlie." Edward stuck his hand out.

Charlie shook Edward's cold hand, used to the chill of a vampires touch by now. Every time he saw Carlisle he shook his hand. "Edward." He then turned to Esme, smiling at her. "Esme."

"Good to see you, Charlie." Esme said, turning her attention to Renesmee who would not look up at her grandmother.

"I'm…uh…yeah." Renesmee looked at Charlie and then down at her feet, trying to concentrate on the pain from the huge cut down her rib cage, rather than the awkward situation she was standing in right now.

"Sorry." Charlie started in on lying-mode, knowing he could not let one single clue drop out about who Renesmee really was or Bella and Edward would know. "This…this is my…"

"I am his foster daughter." Renesmee recovered for Charlie, knowing she needed to lie to keep Edward and Bella in the dark. She did not want to know her parents and she did not want them to know her.

"You're who Carlisle left her with?" Bella looked to Charlie, remembering the story Carlisle had told about leaving the R.E. girl with a friend.

"Uh…yeah." Charlie nodded, and turned to Renesmee. "R.E. this is my daughter Bella."

"Yeah. I met her." Renesmee's face was stone cold as she stared Bella down.

"Right…you two go to school together." Charlie nodded, feeling the tension coming off of Renesmee.

Esme noticed Renesmee's rising temper as well. "Well, it is good to see you again, R.E. Carlisle said you were living here now."

"Wish I could say I was equally as happy to see you." Renesmee snapped at her grandmother before she realized it.

"Uh…R.E…." Charlie glared at Renesmee. "Why don't you go outside? Jacob is out there waiting for you."

Renesmee listened for Julie's heartbeat, and realized that Carlisle had stabilized her best friend. "Sure." She shrugged off; holding her side, and trying to keep the blood from the wound she had received while yanking Julie from the car from soaking down her leg.

Charlie noticed Renesmee's limp and immediately reached out, pulling her back before she could get far. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine." Renesmee lied.

Charlie didn't buy it for a second and yanked Renesmee's shirt up, exposing the huge, gaping wound. "Shit, R.E., what the hell happened?"

"I am fine." Renesmee pulled her shirt down. "Its flesh wound."

"It's not a flesh wound if your flesh is hanging off of it." Charlie narrowed his eyes.

"Just…let me get out of here, please? The smell of blood…not helping…you have no idea how hard it was for me to drive here without killing them all in my car." Renesmee's thoughts drifted back to the sweet scent of blood that permeated her car.

Charlie took a deep breath, knowing Renesmee would heal on her own. "Fine. Outside. I will meet you out there."

Renesmee nodded and gimped out the door.

Once she was gone, Charlie took a deep breath and turned back to Esme, Edward, and Bella. "Sorry…I am working on manners with her still."

"It's fine…" Bella smiled warmly at her father. "I just can't believe you're the one who has her."

"Well, Carlisle needed to leave her somewhere…and it was nice to get some company, you know, since you had left." Charlie told her.

"Right." Bella looked up at Edward and then back to Charlie.

"Well…we had to leave suddenly." Bella recalled the night she and Edward had returned to find Renesmee was missing.

"It's alright." Charlie nodded.

"Well she is quite the charmer…" Edward nodded his head toward the door Renesmee had walked out of.

"Oh…yeah…I heard what happened in school. She…uh…she has a temper. We are working on that." Charlie said.

"She is a bit dangerous." Bella stated. "I am not sure why Carlisle would have left her with you."

"She's not." Charlie said quickly. "She isn't dangerous at all."

Just then, Carlisle walked up, finding Charlie, Bella, Edward, and Esme standing in a circle. He was not really surprised to see Charlie, but confused as to where Renesmee went. "Charlie, good to see you." He shook Charlie's hand. "Is R.E. around?"

"She is outside." Charlie told him.

Carlisle nodded. "Well, tell her that Julie is fine...and that it was good that she got Julie here when she did."

"I will. Charlie nodded back, and then turned to Bella. "I should really get going. Get her home…" He motioned toward the door.

"Wait, dad." Bella did not want him to leave so quickly. She had missed him. "Why don't you and R.E. come over for dinner sometime this week?"

"You don't eat." Charlie told her.

"I…uh…you know?" Bella was confused.

"What you are?" Charlie nodded. "Carlisle filled me in."

"Oh." Bella was surprised.

"Either way, though…you should come over. We can cook." Edward could tell Bella really wanted to see her father.

"I…uh…" Charlie looked to Carlisle.

Carlisle did not want to make things seem weirder then they already were so he just nodded. "Of course, Charlie. You are always welcome."

"Uh…okay then." Charlie nodded.

Suddenly, Renesmee came running back into the hospital, followed by two Cassleville cops.

"What the hell?" Charlie could not catch a break with Renesmee. She was always in trouble.

"R.E.! Stop!" One of the cops called out as the other lunged to grab her.

Renesmee tried to dodge the one cop, but with her wound, she could not move as quickly as she wanted to, and soon found herself being slammed into the ground, a police officer on her back, handcuffing her.

"What the hell is going on?" Charlie moved forward.

"We are taking her in." The cop on Renesmee's back said. "Drunk driving."

"What?" Charlie was shocked.

"We found beer in her car." The police officer not holding her said. "We have to take her in. I am sorry Chief Swan."

"You found what in her car?" Charlie glared at Renesmee.

Renesmee just rolled her eyes at Charlie. "I am not drunk."

"Unfortunately you are under age, and that means no drinking, period." The police officer holding Renesmee said. "Now move." He yanked Renesmee out of the hallway and toward his patrol car while the other officer followed.

"Great." Charlie sighed, turning back to Bella, Edward, Esme, and Carlisle. "I need to go take care of this…but…dinner sounds great. Just give me a call."

"Sure." Bella nodded.

"Charlie!" Jacob called from the door of the hospital. "We have to follow them!"

"Coming, Jake…start the car." Charlie began sprinting out after Jacob.

Once Charlie was gone, Edward, Bella, Esme, and Carlisle all stood in complete shock and silence over what had just gone on.

After a moment, Edward spoke up. "Did Jacob Black get even bigger?"

Edward's comment eased the obvious confusion and tension in the room.


	7. An Attempt at Dinner

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 6**

Bella stood in the kitchen with Esme, trying to help prepare dinner for Charlie and R.E. It had been a few days since the run-in at the hospital, and R.E. had not been in school yet again, but Charlie had called last night, saying he would love to come to dinner so Bella immediately began preparing. She was excited to see her father, even though she was unsure about the R.E. girl.

"What should we make for dinner?" Esme asked.

"If you could just make some rice? I'll handle the fish…" Bella recalled how Charlie had loved fish, and, even though it had been seven years since she had prepared a dish of food, she still remembered every step in making his favorite dish.

"Sure." Esme grabbed a bag of rice, and then turned back to Bella. "Are you excited to see your dad?"

Bella nodded quickly, continuing to cut the fish in front of her. "I missed him."

"I could tell." Esme told her, truthfully.

"How is the cooking going, ladies?" Edward asked as he, Emmett, and Carlisle entered the kitchen, followed by Rosalie who was actually painting her nails as she walked in.

"Just started." Bella turned to kiss Edward.

Edward wrapped his arms around her stone-cold waist, examining the fish in front of her. "So fish for Charlie?"

Bella nodded. "It's his favorite."

"You think that R.E. chick will eat it or does she just like blood?" Emmett asked. In truth, he was excited about the company too, but not because of Charlie, because of the R.E. girl that was coming. He was very curious about her, having always wondered what Renesmee would have grown up to be like if she had lived, never once thinking that R.E. was actually his niece.

"I am sure she eats food." Edward laughed. "Why would you even ask that?"

"Because Renesmee liked blood more than food." Bella answered Edward's question quickly, as she moved away from him toward the stove, slightly annoyed that her husband had forgotten such an unforgettable fact about their daughter.

"Uh…yeah." Emmett nodded, his eyes apologetic to Edward.

Edward just shook his head, knowing there was no way to talk to Bella when she was like this. Anytime she was upset over Renesmee, she shut off to him, and he could do nothing to get through to her.

"Well…we have blood in the refrigerator." Carlisle said, knowing that Renesmee still loved blood more than human food. He was nervous about Renesmee and Charlie's arrival but he had decided that if they could make it through that dinner without everyone figuring out who Renesmee was, then Renesmee's identity would never be discovered.

"We do?" Rosalie was surprised she had not smelt the blood.

"Yes." Carlisle nodded. "R.E. does enjoy it more than human food."

"Must be a hybrid thing…" Emmett muttered.

Emmett's comment caught Bella's attention though, and she threw the fish into the frying pan much more ferociously then before. She was angry that everyone continued to bring Renesmee up, comparing that R.E. girl to her. As far as Bella was concerned, R.E. would never come close to being the beautiful angel that Renesmee was; Renesmee had been perfect, R.E. was an angry mess.

* * *

Charlie sat in the driver seat of his cruiser with Jacob Black in the passenger seat and Renesmee in the backseat, her arms crossed over her chest and her lip pouting. They were on their way to the Cullen's house for dinner, and it was clear that Renesmee was not happy about it. It had even been a struggle for Charlie to get Renesmee to dress nice, and settled when she came down the stairs in jeans and a black and white plaid shirt. Charlie was just grateful that Jacob had offered to come and keep Renesmee in line.

"This is so stupid!" Renesmee growled from her seat. "Why do we have to go?"

"Because we were invited." Charlie was still annoyed with Renesmee since her drunk-driving incident, luckily, with her vampire half working in her favor, by the time they got to the police station Renesmee did not blow anything on the breathalyzer and all charges had been dropped. In fact, Julie's parents had sent Renesmee a gift certificate as a token of their appreciation for saving Julie's life.

"So? You're the one who wants to see them…you go." Renesmee said, annoyed she was stuck sitting at dinner with the parents she never wanted to know.

"Like I can let you out of my sight!" Charlie rolled his eyes. "You're just really lucky those charges got dropped…"

"Why?" Renesmee rolled her eyes. "I get a new record in a few years when I get to start high school all over again! _Yay_…" She clenched her jaw in sarcasm.

"Nessie, seriously…just shut it and enjoy the day." Jacob spoke up.

Renesmee, in response, kicked the back of Jacob's seat. "Don't tell me to shut it."

"Well you are acting like a five year old." Jacob turned around to his imprint.

"I am only seven." Renesmee shot back, sticking her tongue out. She loved using that excuse when it pertained to a situation.

Before they knew it, Charlie stopped the car and they were in the Cullen's driveway.

"Look." Charlie turned to face Renesmee. "I know you don't want to be here, but I do. I haven't seen my daughter in a long time…so please just let me have the night? Don't say anything…or do anything…just be good."

"Fine." Renesmee grumbled, realizing the visit meant a lot to Charlie. "But if they even kind of start to figure out who I am…"

"They won't." Charlie assured her. "Just don't drop any clues."

"Like I would do that." Renesmee snorted. "I don't want them to know me anymore then I want to know them…" And with that she got out of the car, slamming the door.

Jacob just looked at Charlie and shrugged. "Well…if they don't figure out who she is now…I don't think they ever will."

"Bella doesn't look hard enough at her to realize it's actually Renesmee…I saw it at the hospital…she has no idea that's her daughter." Charlie tilted his head toward Renesmee who was standing outside, staring up at the huge home of the Cullen family.

* * *

Carlisle was pacing in his office when Esme knocked on the door. Carlisle perked up, clearing his throat as the door opened slowly and Esme stepped in.

"I thought you were helping Bella cook?" Carlisle asked.

"She is a little tense." Esme said, recalling how Bella had been rather short with everyone since Emmett accidently brought Renesmee up.

"She is still upset about the Renesmee thing?" Carlisle assumed

Esme nodded. "She misses her."

"It's sick that we have to keep lying about Renesmee…" Carlisle sighed. "It would be so much easier to just tell Bella and Edward the truth."

"That would only be easier now because Renesmee has gotten caught up in this entire mess of Bella wanting to see Charlie. Prior to this it was easier to let Bella, and Edward, and everyone else think Renesmee was dead, and once we leave here…whenever that is…it will be easier for us to continue the lie again." Esme told her husband. "And this is what Renesmee wants. She rarely asks much from us…and she has her reasons for this…"

"She think it's easier for everyone if they think she is dead…I don't think she realizes how much she is still loved, especially by her parents." Carlisle said, wrapping an arm around Esme.

"Well…maybe she will see it tonight." Esme suggested.

"Or they will figure out who she is…" Carlisle kissed Esme's head, nervous about the evening's upcoming events.

Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell broke Carlisle's train of thought.

"They are here." Esme smiled at Carlisle as she led him out of his office. Unlike her husband, she was slightly excited to see her granddaughter, assuming Renesmee would be in a better state then the night at the hospital and maybe want to talk.

* * *

Bella quickly put down the spatula she was using to flip the fish when she heard the doorbell ring and moved toward the door. Edward, who had been sitting silently in the kitchen with her, hoping she would break her bad mood and talk to him, got up and followed his way to the front door.

Bella swung the door opened to see Charlie, Renesmee, and Jacob standing there.

"Jacob?" Bella smiled, quickly jumping onto her old friend.

"Good to see you, Bella." Jacob felt Bella's cold skin collide with his warm skin, and yet he didn't care. He had missed Bella, she was his best friend.

Renesmee rolled her eyes at the embrace between her boyfriend and the mother who did not know she existed as Jacob let Bella go.

Bella then moved to Charlie, hugging her father. "I am so glad you came, Dad."

"Glad we could make it." Charlie nodded.

Bella then released her father and turned her attention to the girl she knew as R.E., deciding she would be as civil as possible, for Charlie's sake. "And R.E., I am glad you could come too."

"Not like I had a choice…" Renesmee shot a death stare at Charlie before sulking into the Cullen's house, past Edward.

"Really…she is a lovely girl." Edward spoke sarcastically of Renesmee as she walked past.

"You get used to her." Jacob stuck his hand out, shaking Edward's. It was weird, after so much hatred, that the two had grown to be at least civil to each other. "Good to see you, Edward."

"You too, Jacob." Edward nodded, allowing Charlie and Jacob to move past him, shaking Charlie's hand as he walked in. Edward then waited for Bella to come into the house. He stopped her when she past him and wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her forehead. "I am really sorry about earlier, Bella."

"I know." Bella nodded. "Just let's forget about it."

Edward nodded and followed Bella into the kitchen where Charlie, Jacob, and Renesmee were greeted by Esme and Carlisle.

"We had no idea you were coming, Jacob." Esme said to the werewolf.

"Well…Charlie asked if I wanted to, and I couldn't miss a chance to see my girl." Jacob jokingly winked at Bella.

"Gag me now…" Renesmee said under her breath, knowing that at one point, Jacob had feelings for Bella, although Jacob tried to explain that they were only feelings for the parts of Bella that made Renesmee.

"Well…" Esme clapped her hands. "Dinner is almost ready. We are just waiting for Alice and Jasper to return from a…hunt…but in the meantime, Edward and Bella, why don't you two show Jacob and R.E. around? Carlisle wants to talk to Charlie for a little."

"Uh…sure." Edward nodded, wrapping an arm around Bella and motioning for Jacob and Renesmee to follow.

On the way out the door, Renesmee turned to Carlisle, Charlie, and Esme and glared. Charlie returned a sarcastically little wave, moving all of his fingers at his granddaughter.

Once the four were out of the room, Carlisle turned to Charlie. "Uh…why don't we speak in my office?"

Charlie nodded, following Carlisle down the hall and into his huge office.

Once inside, Carlisle closed the door and motioned for Charlie to take a seat.

Charlie complied, sitting. "So? What is going on?"

"I am glad you came." Carlisle started, taking a seat at his desk. "Bella wanted to see you."

"Well…I missed her too." Charlie replied.

"Well, then…assuming things go well tonight, Bella will be around a little longer." Carlisle said.

"So you guys are going to stay here then?" Charlie asked, half way excited to have Bella back in his life, but also worried for Renesmee.

"If Renesmee is not discovered tonight…then I don't see any real reason in leaving." Carlisle said. "Half the reason we were going to leave was to just keep Bella away from you, but it seems like its going alright so far, and she could really use some family. Ever since Renesmee…well since she thought she lost Renesmee, she hasn't been herself all the time. Some days, Bella is great, and then others…its hard for Edward to get her out of bed."

Charlie nodded, swallowing hard as all the visions of a depressed Bella filled his mind. He had seen her like that for quite a few months in high school when Edward had left her, and Charlie hated to think she was going through that again, especially over the loss of a daughter who wasn't really lost. "Well…I could talk to Nessie…see if she wants to get Bella and Edward back into her life."

Carlisle shrugged. "I don't want to push her…and she seems rather set in her ways of keeping them out of her life."

"She is a tough kid." Charlie spoke of Renesmee. "And she has been struggling the past few years…I mean I love her, she really is a good kid…but the temper and the partying and cutting class and now the arrest…with me working…it's hard for me to keep track of her all the time."

"You're doing a fine job, Charlie." Carlisle told him. "It's a stage she is going through, I am sure. She will grow out of it…but I don't think pushing Bella and Edward onto her is the best idea."

Charlie nodded after a moment. Carlisle was right; if Renesmee did not want her parents in her life at that point, she did not have to place them there. All Renesmee had to do was be civil to the parents that did not recognize her, and Charlie knew she was capable of at least that.

* * *

Edward and Bella climbed the stairs to show Renesmee and Jacob the second floor. The four moved silently until they hit Edward and Bella's room.

"And…this is our room." Bella flicked the lights on.

Renesmee and Jacob followed Bella and Edward into the room, glancing around.

"It's really nice, Bells." Jacob nodded at the deep navy curtains that hung over four large windows.

"Thanks." Bella smiled warmly at Jacob as her hands intertwined with Edward's, but her golden eyes were watching Renesmee.

Renesmee had stopped in front of the portrait of Bella, Edward, and the baby version of herself, outside of the cottage she did remember living in. Renesmee examined the picture; she had not changed much, her eyes were the same and her hair was only a different color, but her skin and her smirk were forever the same as they were in that picture. She shook her head, laughing bitterly at the idea that Bella and Edward stared at her every day, and yet could not tell who she really was now. She thought parents were supposed to be able to recognize their children no matter what, that they had that parental feeling. Clearly, Bella and Edward did not possess that though, never questioning that Renesmee was actually herself instead of the R.E. character they believed her to be.

"That's my daughter." Bella moved up to Renesmee. "She was like you…we lost her a few years ago."

"You lost her?" Renesmee snapped her head quickly toward Bella.

"Yeah." Bella nodded, thinking she was having a bonding moment with the girl next to her, never knowing it was her daughter, and that she was in fact angering Renesmee.

"So kids just…go missing?" Renesmee's jaw and fist clenched at the same time. "And what? You never looked for her?"

"We did." Edward spoke up from his position behind Bella and Renesmee, next to Jacob. "We never found her…"

Bella nodded, sadly. "But she is always in our hearts."

"I bet…" Renesmee grumbled.

"Excuse me?" Bella was surprised by the girls comment.

"You stare at her picture everyday…and you think it constitutes remembering her…maybe you should have just looked a little harder!" Renesmee snapped.

"You have no idea…" Bella started.

"Save it, _Mommy Dearest_ …" Renesmee pushed past Bella, angry beyond belief at the audacity her mother had. Renesmee had always and would continue to always feel that Bella and Edward had given up on her. They had not looked hard enough for her, because she had not been that hard to find. Even now, she stood in front of their faces, and they could not see her.

"R.E…" Jacob grabbed Renesmee's wrist.

Renesmee's response was to slam Jacob against the wall, before shaking her head, and walking out of the room.

Edward immediately offered Jacob a hand, helping the werewolf to his feet.

"Thanks." Jacob nodded at Edward, and then turned his attention to Bella, easily able to see that if she could cry she would have been shedding tears. "And I am sorry about her, Bella…" He pointed in the direction Renesmee had taken off in. "She can be a little bitter about…parents…"

"She has quite a temper." Bella nodded, as Edward moved to wrap his arm around his shaken wife.

"Uh...yeah." Jacob gave a nervous laugh. "She does sometimes."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I got pushed first this week." Edward recalled his incident with Renesmee in the cafeteria.

"I heard." Jacob nodded. "But really…she doesn't mean it…sometimes she just doesn't think...and sometimes she forgets how strong she is."

"Why are you standing up for her?" Bella asked, slightly annoyed that Jacob would let anyone talk about her or be disrespectful to Renesmee like that girl had been. After all, Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee.

"It's complicated…" Jacob sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Not really." Edward was suddenly reading Jacob's mind. "She is your imprint?"

Jacob looked up, blinking twice in shock. "Uh…yeah. She is." He nodded.

"But that's impossible." Bella shook her head, unable to believe it. "Renesmee was your imprint…"

"She was…" Jacob nodded, realizing that Edward had not figured out from his thoughts that Renesmee and R.E. were the same person.

"But you only get one…that's how it works…" Bella was frantic, unable to believe Jacob had moved on from his 'soul mate', her beautiful daughter so easily, and then onto an angry maniac like that R.E. girl.

"Bella, calm down…" Edward pulled his wife closer to him, easily seeing she was getting upset. "You wouldn't want Jacob to be alone forever because Nessie is gone…"

"Yes I would." Bella said, knowing it sounded selfish, but she didn't care; she just wanted one other person in the world to miss Renesmee half as much as she did. She quickly pushed away from Edward. "What is it with you? You are so eager to push Renesmee's memory aside…"

"I'm not." Edward said firmly. "I just don't think it's fair that Jacob be punished like we are punished every day."

"Punished?" Bella shook her head in disbelief.

"Just…we have to live with the memory of Renesmee every single day…and I am okay with that…I loved my daughter, I always will…but why punish Jacob and condemn him to a life alone?" Edward explained.

"Because he was supposed to take care of her…love her unconditionally." Bella turned her attention to Jacob. "Did you love my daughter at all?"

"Of course, Bella." Jacob told her, knowing it was the truth. He still loved Renesmee, because she was still in his life, he just could not tell Bella that.

"Then how could you move on so easily?" Bella asked. "And to that…" She indicated the door Renesmee had walked out of.

Jacob sighed, trying to think of something to say, but he didn't need to, Renesmee was back at his side.

"Jake, let's go." Renesmee pulled at Jacob. "You don't owe them any explanation." She motioned to Bella and Edward.

"Like hell he doesn't!" Bella moved swiftly, pulling Renesmee's hand away from Jacob's. "You need to learn some manners…"

"Sorry…" Renesmee smirked. "My parents _lost _me too…so…I work with that I got."

"How dare you…" Bella started, realizing Renesmee was throwing it back in her face, the fact that Bella had said they had _lost _Renesmee.

"Look, your daughter is dead. " Renesmee shrugged, her smirk never leaving her face. "Jacob moved on…and even if your daughter wasn't dead…she still wouldn't want to be with you!" Renesmee spoke the words she thought to be true.

That was enough for Bella, and she lunged at Renesmee, never realizing it was her daughter, but Renesmee had gotten her speed from Edward and jerked out of Bella's reach before watching Bella slam into her bedroom wall.

"Let's go, Jacob." Renesmee repeated herself from earlier, and Jacob complied, following Renesmee out the door.

Bella instantly fell onto her bed, sobbing for a moment and Edward moved, gathering his wife up, her tearless eyes full of pain at Renesmee's words.

"Bella…" Edward kissed her head. "Forget what she said…she knows nothing about Renesmee…"

In an instant, Bella stopped sobbing and was now angry. "You're right…she doesn't. And like hell I am going to let her talk to me like that…"

Before Edward could pull her back, Bella was on her feet, gracefully making her way out of her bedroom and after Renesmee. Edward did not try to stop her; he could easily see the rage in Bella's stance, something he had never seen before.

* * *

Renesmee made her way into the kitchen where Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice stood. Jacob was a step behind her and was shaking his head at Charlie, indicating that Renesmee was in one of her moods.

"I am out of here." Renesmee stated, ripping the keys out of Charlie's pocket before he could process anything.

"R.E…what's wrong?" Carlisle tried to stop his granddaughter.

"I'll tell you what is wrong." Bella entered, followed by Edward. "She has no manners."

"And she thinks kids just go missing!" Renesmee pointed at Bella. "Like you lose them…like they are a pen or something…that can just be lost for good."

Charlie knew exactly what this was about; it was about Renesmee never really forgiving her parents for not finding her. Sure, she had told Carlisle she did not want to be part of their family, or to know them, but Charlie knew it was only because she felt abandoned. He had heard her say many times before that she could have been found if they looked hard enough, and Charlie had to agree with her; she had not been kept very hidden from Bella or Edward if they really wanted to find her.

"R.E…" Charlie started.

"No!" Renesmee turned around. "You want to visit with your screwed up daughter, fine Charlie, but leave me the hell out of it!" And before anyone could respond, Renesmee was out the door.

Jacob looked at Bella, who clearly was hurt by Renesmee's words. "She didn't mean it, Bella…"

"Sure…" Bella crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at Charlie, wondering why he did not put his 'foster daughter' in her place.

Charlie started to say something, and then stopped, turning to Jacob. "Jake…you should probably go stop her before she drives my cruiser into a tree."

Jacob nodded and took off after his imprint, leaving Charlie standing in the kitchen with a room full of Cullen's.

"I like her." Emmett smiled after a minute, as he spoke of Renesmee, not knowing it was his niece. "She is feisty…"

"Shut up, Emmett." Rosalie punched her husband in the chest, as she gazed at Bella. She knew, whatever that R.E. girl had said had cut her sister-in-law deep, because it was written all over Bella's face, even if she was trying to stay strong and hide it.

* * *

Jacob managed to reach Charlie's cruiser just as Renesmee was getting into the driver's seat, and so, knowing he could do nothing else, he climbed into the passenger seat, strapping himself in for what was sure to be a dangerous ride.

Renesmee looked at Jacob for a moment, but said nothing before backing down the driveway at a ridiculous speed and spinning onto the street, taking off in the direction of her home. She drove at a constant high speed for awhile, silence filling the air between her and Jacob, until she felt as though she was suffocating. Finally, Renesmee quickly jerked the car off into the shoulder of the road, her knuckles still clenched to the steering wheel as she stared straight ahead.

Jacob remained silent for a moment before turning slowly to his girlfriend. "Nes…"

Renesmee did not move her head, but her eyes did jerk to Jacob's face before returning to the road ahead of her. "I am not going to apologize."

"You don't owe me one." Jacob told her quickly.

"I don't owe anyone anything!" Renesmee snapped, the anger Jacob was used to back in her chocolate eyes.

Sometimes the constant string of anger or frustration that seemed to plague Renesmee bothered Jacob, and not because she was angry, but because of the way it manifested in her eyes, the same eyes that Bella had once had. Jacob had never seen eyes so beautiful, but the anger that Renesmee's constantly held recently had made their beauty diminish. In his mind, Bella's human eyes would always be beautiful, because they never held a temper, but Renesmee's were so different, especially now.

"Nessie…please just calm down…" Jacob gently rubbed her shoulder, and to his surprised, Renesmee immediately turned to him, tucking her face into the crook of his neck and sobbing uncontrollably. "Shh…." She soothed her, rubbing her back gently. Although she was made of stone, for the first time ever, Renesmee felt so fragile to Jacob.

"I can't do this anymore." Renesmee cried. "I won't watch them grieve over me when I am right here…I can't watch my parents pretend they did all they could to find me when I was so reachable. I was here the whole time…they just didn't look hard enough…"

"Nes…" Jacob sighed. "Your parents…they love you…you have to remember they did…"

Renesmee just shook her head. "They loved the idea of me…that I was so special…that they had something few of their kind could have…"

"That's not true." Jacob told her, remembering how hard Bella had fought to keep Renesmee alive when everyone else wanted her to abort her pregnancy. "I was there…"

"So was I." Renesmee reminded him, wiping the tears up from her face.

"And you can honestly sit here and say you think that they didn't love you?" Jacob asked.

Renesmee nodded. "You don't ever give up on someone you love, and they gave up on me."

Jacob shook his head but had nothing to say. Although he did not agree with her, he could see where Renesmee was coming from, and wondered, if in her position, he would feel abandoned as well. He realized, after a moment, he probably would. Slowly he turned to Renesmee. "Let's just go home. Okay?"

Renesmee nodded, giving Jacob a small but grateful smile, glad he did not push her any farther in the conversation. She quickly turned the car back onto the road and headed for her house, knowing when Charlie got home she would be in trouble.

* * *

Charlie stood awkwardly in the Cullen's kitchen as Bella stared him down and Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett all shot looks at each other, wondering who would be the first to speak.

"Look…I am sorry for her behavior." Charlie said to everyone. "R.E. hasn't had the easiest life…"

"It's alright, Charlie." Carlisle tried to smooth things over.

But that was enough for Edward. He was sick of watching Bella be beaten down all day by some hybrid, maniac. He stepped forward, as if to protect Bella. "No, it's not alright." He placed a hand on Bella's shoulder. "That girl shouldn't be allowed to talk to people the way she does. She had no right going after Bella as a mother like that. She didn't know Renesmee and she has no idea the love we had for our daughter…"

"Edward…" Bella placed a hand on his hand, thankful he would stick up for her, but she did not want a fight to arise among her family, not over that R.E. girl.

"No, Bella." Edward looked at Charlie. "You're foster daughter…or whatever she is…she was wrong today."

"I didn't say she wasn't." Charlie nodded, knowing Renesmee had crossed a few lines that afternoon. "But she is really not a bad kid…"

"She's feisty…" Emmett repeated himself, only to receive glares from his family. "I…uh…I'm gonna go…" He pointed to the living room.

"I'll…take him…" Rosalie nodded, understanding that the conversation taking place had nothing to do with her or Emmett and they should leave it between Bella, Edward, and Charlie.

"Maybe you should all go." Esme looked to Alice and Jasper.

"Right." Alice nodded, taking Jasper by the collar and leaving the kitchen.

"I just don't understand why she is so angry." Bella spoke up. "I have done nothing to that girl…"

Charlie tried not to roll his eyes at Bella. He knew he could not blame his daughter for letting Renesmee go, but he also knew everything Renesmee held against Bella, even if it was unjust, he understood where Renesmee was coming from.

"Like Charlie said, R.E. has not had the easiest life." Carlisle intervened, catching the expression Charlie had made.

"Well then why is she with Charlie?" Bella asked Carlisle. "She is dangerous…"

"She's not dangerous…" Charlie couldn't help but laugh. Sure, Renesmee could be very dangerous, but she had never once even hugged Charlie too hard. She would never hurt him and he knew it.

"That temper…" Edward started. "With her strength…it's not a good combo."

"She is a good kid." Charlie was growing defensive. "She wouldn't hurt anyone."

"She had no problem tossing me around." Edward recalled.

"Did you ever think you deserved it?" Charlie stepped forward.

"_Dad_…" Bella was so surprised that Charlie would defend that R.E. girl after all he had seen her do.

Charlie sighed, digging his hands into his pockets. "R.E. is a good kid. Trust me. I know her."

"I just find it hard to believe." Bella said.

"Well then come see for yourself." Charlie said, not knowing what else to do about the situation. He knew Bella would never believe him without seeing it firsthand. "Come over…we are having a little party for my birthday…just me, R.E. and some of Jacob and Billy's tribe…next week. Come and see yourself that she is a good kid."

"I saw her tonight…" Bella told her father.

"It will be different. I will talk to her." Charlie told her.

Bella glanced up at Edward for a minute and then back to her father. "Fine…but if I am right about her…"

"If you are right then it's up to you if you want to be in my life anymore." Charlie told his daughter, although it broke his heart to say it; he had made a vow to keep Renesmee safe, and he would do that. After all, at the end of the day, he was all Renesmee had. "Because R.E. isn't going anywhere."

Bella's brow furrowed in frustration over her father's ease in choosing R.E. over her if it didn't work out. "Fine."

"Why don't you let me drive you home, Charlie?" Carlisle offered. "I don't think R.E. is bringing your cruiser back."

Charlie laughed a little. "Me either."

Carlisle patted Charlie on the back, leading him out of the house.

Once the men were gone, Esme turned to Bella and Edward. "Well that was eventful."

"All I know is my Renesmee would have never grown up to be like that girl…" Bella spoke of R.E. not knowing it was actually her Renesmee she was speaking of.

Esme just nodded, trying not to laugh at the irony of Bella's statement. Esme could not believe Bella could not see that R.E. and Renesmee were one in the same. Esme thought it was so easy to see the similarities between the baby Renesmee and the now grown R.E. but now she realized there was a good chance she was wrong.

* * *

Jane entered Aro's chamber to find him with Caius and Marcus, all sitting on their thrones, smiling when Jane entered.

"Jane…darling…what do we owe this lovely visit?" Aro asked, smoothly.

"We have received word on Renesmee Cullen." Jane stood in front of the three leaders.

"Oh?" Aro smiled. "Intriguing…do tell."

"It seems the Cullen's have initiate contact with her again." Jane explained. "A few spies saw a new…creature…hanging around the Cullen's. Upon closer investigation, the creature was positively identified as Renesmee Cullen."

"Good thing we kept an eye on the Cullen's then." Caius smiled at Aro. "We knew it was only a matter of time before they returned to find her."

"All those years…and they choose now to go to her." Aro shook her head.

"They assume we have given up the search for her." Jane said.

"I almost had." Aro laughed. "I really was beginning to think she was dead."

Caius joined in with Aro's laughter. "Cullen's thought they could outsmart us…"

"I assume she is grown?" Aro asked of Renesmee.

Jane nodded. "She has reached seventeen."

"Excellent." Aro grinned. "Then her blood…is…thoroughly ready for us."

"And so it begins…" Marcus said, almost sadly. "We find out the power of the hybrid."

Aro looked to Marcus. "We know the power. That blood…will make us indestructible. Able to walk among humans unseen…we will have infinite power."

"Such a shame we must destroy Renesmee though…" Caius said. "I am sure she would make a powerful vampire…"

"We have time to decide her fate." Aro grinned. "Once we sink our teeth into her…we can do whatever we want with her. Although, I highly doubt we will want to change her, I don't see her blood being something we would want to stop drinking until necessary."

"Good." Jane smiled

Now…" Aro clapped his hands together. "It looks like we will be paying our dear friend, Carlisle and his family a visit rather soon."


	8. Charlie's Party

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 7**

Bella gracefully made her way around her room, trying to decide on what outfit to wear for Charlie's birthday. She was rather excited to spend another day with her father, even if the last attempt had been a disaster. She was not, however, excited to see that R.E. girl again.

"Bella…what you have on is fine." Edward motioned to the jeans and moss green blouse she was wearing. If there was one thing he truly disliked about vampire-Bella, it was how much she was worried about her appearance all the sudden. Human-Bella never cared about stuff like that. "We are only going to stand around in a backyard for a few hours."

"Sorry I care what I look like for my father." Bella smiled at Edward playfully, noticing he was wearing a simple blue t-shirt and jeans. "That's what you are wearing?"

Edward stood, making his way over to Bella and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her passionately before pulling away and kissing her nose. "Like I said…we are going to be standing around in a backyard."

"Yeah, with some girl who hates me." Bella sighed.

"Are you really worried about what that R.E. girl thinks about you?" Edward raised an eyebrow.

Bella shrugged, not looking directly at her husband. "She did kind of take my place…for Charlie…you know?"

"No one could ever take your place, especially not in Charlie's eyes." Edward told her. "He loves you. You will always be his little girl, trust me…I read his mind."

Bella nodded after a moment, believing Edward. "Still…"

"Still nothing." Edward grinned down at her, continuing to hold her in his arms. "I will not allow R.E.'s rudeness to persist for a moment today. Don't you worry," He kissed her forehead.

Just then, Esme stuck her head into the room. "Are you two ready to go? Carlisle is already down in the car."

Edward looked at Bella who nodded up at him.

"I believe we are ready to go then." Edward told his mother, motioning for Bella to walk ahead of him; he was always the gentleman as he followed his wife and mother down the stairs. He was not exactly excited for the party they were attending, but he knew it was important to Bella, so he would suck it up and make the best of it for her.

* * *

Renesmee was struggling, tying a balloon to the front porch of her home when Billy's truck pulled up and Jacob and Leah jumped out, grabbing Billy's wheelchair and helping him into it.

Renesmee smiled at the sight of Billy, Jacob, and Leah and quickly ran up, jumping on Jacob and giving him a kiss before letting him go and moving gracefully toward Billy, kissing his cheek.

"Good to see you, Billy." Renesmee could be quite the charmer when she wanted to be.

"You as well, Nessie…" Billy smiled. "Where is your grandfather?"

"Charlie is around back. Sam and Emily are already here…" Renesmee explained.

"Oh good…" Charlie began to wheel himself around to the back of the house, leaving Renesmee, Jacob, and Leah out in the front of the house.

"So…how is the party planning going?" Leah asked. She, aside from Jacob, was the closest of the wolves to Renesmee. She enjoyed having another super-human girl around, and Renesmee felt the same about Leah. They had a bond that even Jacob knew he would not understand truly.

"It's going." Renesmee rolled her eyes. "Just waiting for…_my family _to get here."

"So your mom and dad are coming?" Jacob asked of Bell and Edward.

"Yeah." Renesmee sighed. "And Charlie has me on strict orders to be civil with them…"

"That should be easy…" Jacob said sarcastically.

"I am going to try." Renesmee gave Jacob the crooked grin she had inherited from Edward.

"It's more then I would do in your shoes…" Leah told her. "I would just tell them to piss off…"

"Believe me…that's exactly what I want to do." Renesmee nodded. "But I am being good for Charlie today. Plus telling them to fuck off wouldn't do me any good since they don't even know they are my parents."

"Nessie…" Jacob gave a scolding look, as if to indicate he did not approve of her cursing.

Renesmee just smiled up at him, kissing him quickly before turning back to Leah. "Anyway…I figure if I pretty much ignore them I can keep Charlie happy and not drive myself insane."

"Well…with so many people coming I doubt it will be a problem." Leah said.

"That's what I figured." Renesmee said, handing Jacob three balloon. "We have to finish hanging these."

"Okay." Jacob moved to tie the balloons to the stairs up to the front door, but the balloons took off, all three getting stuck in a tree.

"Great." Renesmee rolled her eyes, walking over to the tree and examining the new found balloon dilemma that had just befallen her.

* * *

Carlisle drove his car in the direction of Charlie and Renesmee's home in Cassleville with Esme in the passenger seat, and Bella and Edward in the backseat. The ride was rather quiet, everyone thinking their own thoughts.

Esme broke the silence, glancing back at Bella. "Are you excited to see your dad, Bella?"

Bella nodded. "Hopefully it will be better than last time…"

"It will." Edward grabbed her hand and smiled at her. "No little hybrid will be yelling at you today, or there will be once less hybrid in the world …"

"_Edward_…" Carlisle warned.

"What?" Edward asked innocently, but smiling. "Relax. I won't hurt that R.E. girl…much."

"Edward, that's enough." Esme told her son. She knew he didn't understand who R.E. truly was or why she was so hostile toward Bella, but Esme would not hear her son talk badly about the daughter he thought was dead.

"You two are awfully protective over someone who was so disrespectful in your home." Edward looked out the window now.

"It's because we know R.E., and we get where she is coming from." Esme told her son, and then looked to Bella. "But I am sure she will be on much better behavior today."

Bella shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I am doing this for Charlie…not that girl."

"Good girl." Esme patted Bella's lap and turned forward in her seat.

"Plus…with all those werewolves running around I am sure there will be more distractions." Edward remembered most of Jacob's tribe and the pack would be at Charlie's birthday.

"It will call for an interesting evening." Carlisle agreed as he pulled into Charlie' and Renesmee's driveway.

Bella glanced up at her father's new house, noticing it was only slightly bigger then the one he had lived in back in Forks. Then, something else caught her eye. It was Jacob Black, under a tree, holding the girl Bella knew as R.E. on his shoulders as she tried to reach a balloon.

Suddenly, Bella watched Leah rush up to the tree, jumping over Jacob and grabbing the balloon before pulling an entire branch down and hitting Renesmee and Jacob with it, casting them both to the ground, laughing hysterically.

"Watch it, kids. I don't want to bandage anyone up." Carlisle said to Jacob, Renesmee, and Leah as he got out of the car.

"Carlisle!" Renesmee ran forward, jumping on her grandfather and practically pushing him back into his car. She was glad to see him and her grandmother, feeling rather bad about how she had acted at their home last time; although she would not apologize for it. As far as she was concerned Bella and Edward deserved what she had said.

"Well someone is in a better move." Edward whispered as Esme and Bella rounded the car to stand next to him.

"Edward…" Esme warned, and then moved forward as Renesmee hugged her. She kissed her granddaughter's head. "Good to see you, honey."

Renesmee let go of Esme and looked to Bella and Edward. She had nothing nice to say to her parents, but she knew she owed to Charlie, especially on his birthday, to be civil to them. That was all he had asked of her.

"Your dad is around back." Renesmee said to the mother who did not recognize her.

"Oh." Bella was surprised at how soothing Renesmee's voice could be when she was not yelling. "Thanks."

"Sure." Renesmee nodded.

"Why don't we all go around back?" Jacob suggested.

"You just don't want to get in trouble because you broke Charlie's tree…" Leah teased.

"I did not!" Jacob shot back. "You jumped on it."

"But your head cracked it." Leah pointed to the broken limb.

"No! Ren…R.E.'s head did!" Jacob almost slipped.

Renesmee shot Jacob a death stare, before turning back to the parents who did not recognize her. "Come on…I'll take you around back." She led Bella, Edward, Carlisle, and Esme into the backyard where Charlie and the rest of his party were.

"Charlie! We got company!" Renesmee gracefully jumped over the side of the small deck in the backyard, pointing back to Edward, Bella, Carlisle, and Esme.

"Bella!" Charlie moved, gathering his immortal daughter in his arms and watching her sparkle in the sunlight. "Thanks for coming."

"Sure, dad." Bella smiled back, glad to see Charlie in such a good mood.

"Edward!" Charlie smiled, shaking Edward's hand.

"Charlie." Edward nodded, surprised by the enthusiasm in Charlie's voice as he spoke his name. Edward assumed the chief had been drinking a bit.

"Happy birthday, Charlie." Esme hugged her in-law.

"Thanks." Charlie shook Carlisle's hand and then all introductions were done.

"What was that loud noise out front?" Billy asked, wheeling over to Renesmee, Jacob, and Leah who were talking to Paul in the corner.

"I…uh…" Renesmee glanced around, knowing the noise was from the tree. "You know…the funniest thing…the tree out front…just fell apart."

Charlie glared at Renesmee. "What did you do?"

"Me? Why are you always blaming me?" Renesmee grinned.

"Because you are always in trouble." Charlie teased back, grabbing Renesmee by the neck and giving her a noogie. He was giddy; everyone who was important to him was at his house right now.

"I think she is getting a little old for those, Charlie…" Sam joked.

"Yeah…I am…" Renesmee jerked away from Charlie quickly, setting herself up in a playful fighting stance.

Charlie put his hands up, smiling. "I surrender."

"That's what I thought, old man." Renesmee rolled the sleeves of her dark grey hoodie up.

"Well, at least she is nice to your dad…" Edward whispered about Renesmee to Bella.

"She is…" Bella nodded, noticing how playful Charlie was around the girl she knew as R.E. He had never been like that with her when she had lived with him in Forks. It was almost making Bella sad, and even maybe a little jealous. Charlie was treating R.E. like a daughter, and Bella, for the first time, wished she had been closer to her father.

* * *

Aro stood in his chamber alone, dreaming of what to pack for their visit to the Cullen's. He had been waiting seven long years to come face to face with Renesmee and he wanted to look his best before he took the hybrid's life.

It had not been Aro's original intent to kill Renesmee. In fact, after their first meeting with Renesmee, Aro saw the girl as nothing of interest. Originally, all he held against her was the fact that the Volturi had been severely embarrassed by the entire thing. That was, however, until Aro as he went to kill another vampire had read that vampire's thoughts a few months, and saw immediately how powerful and rare Renesmee's blood was, and how, with that blood, he, as well as the rest of the Volturi, would be unstoppable to do as they please. No vampire, werewolf, or human could get in their way. They could walk freely without detection or bring the world to its knees. Aro was unsure how he wanted to handle it still, but one thing was certain, he wanted Renesmee Cullen's blood.

Jane enter Aro's chamber, causing him to turn and face her.

"Jane…what a pleasant surprise." Aro smiled.

"Are we ready to go to the U.S.?" Jane asked. She too, wanted Renesmee Cullen dead, if not for the power then for the enjoyment of watching Bella in pain, having never been able to use her power on Bella to inflict it herself.

"You are in quite the rush to get to the Cullen's, I see." Aro raised an eyebrow. "Could it be you are still angered over your inability to harm Bella?"

"I am sure she will be harmed greatly when we take her daughter from her." Jane smiled.

"Yes." Aro agreed. "She shall."

"And…if I may ask…when will we be leaving?" Jane was anxious.

"Patients, my dear." Aro clapped his hands, turning back to his closet. "We have waited seven years to get to Renesmee. What are a few more days?"

Jane said nothing as she departed, rather frustrated. She wanted to get to and kill Renesmee and she wanted to do it that instant. She did not think she could wait a few days, she was too restless. She wanted to see Bella Cullen whither in pain for once.

* * *

Charlie's party was going well. He was spending most of his time on the deck, surrounded by everyone who was important to him, and having the simple pleasure of talking to Bella and Edward. He had missed his beautiful daughter, and was so happy to have her around. He had just finished embarrassing Bella, by telling a story about her eating glue when she was four, when Renesmee came up, freeing Bella from the humiliation.

"You all gossip like old ladies." Renesmee jumped over the banister and landed on her feet on the picnic table next to Charlie, her eyes glancing between Billy and Charlie.

"Don't stand on the table…people eat there." Charlie told his granddaughter.

Renesmee rolled her eyes, but jumped off the table, landing on the bench, next to Billy. "_Not _if we don't go get something to eat…"

"I thought you and Jacob were going fishing?" Sam questioned.

"What?" Renesmee looked at Charlie, confused. "I am?"

"I thought you and Jake wouldn't mind…" Charlie smiled at her.

"Why couldn't we just get fish at the store, numb-nutt?" Renesmee asked.

"Because it's not fresh then." Billy playfully slapped Renesmee upside the head.

"I would watch that…" Leah told Billy as she saw the death stare Renesmee shot him. "She has a temper…"

"Yeah…I heard you found that out the hard way, Cullen." Paul spoke up to Edward. "Something about a table breaking?"

"Yeah." Edward nodded, not minding to be the butt of the joke. "I…uh…took out a lunch table."

"Sorry…" Renesmee mumbled but did not look at Edward, instead she turned to Jacob. "Okay…looks like we are on a fishing date…" She winked at him.

Jacob saw the wink, and knew he was about to get some alone time with his girlfriend. "Okay…let's go…" He grabbed Renesmee's hand.

"Hold on!" Sam called out. "If you two head up there alone, we will all be starved by the time you get back."

"What? No you won't…" Renesmee said.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Forget it…Sam hears what goes on in Jacob's head when they are wolves…he knows what you do at that lake…"

Renesmee blushed with embarrassment. "Thanks for thinking of me, babe." She glanced at Jacob.

"Wait? What?" Charlie did not catch the sex innuendo.

Bella was shocked at how openly R.E.'s apparent sex life with Jacob was discussed. It was actually making her uncomfortable, and almost glad Renesmee didn't end up with Jacob if he was such a sexual creature.

"Nothing." Renesmee said quickly, grabbing Leah's hand. "Leah, come with us?"

"Ugh…" Leah groaned, hating to fish, but allowed Renesmee to pull her toward the woods with Jacob following them.

"Wait!" Charlie had an idea. He wanted to talk to Carlisle and he knew he couldn't do it with Bella and Edward around. "Why don't you take Bella and Edward with you?"

"Say what?" Renesmee couldn't help the shock in her voice.

"No…Dad…it's okay..." Bella started.

"No…no…you should go see the lake. R.E., you wouldn't mind taking them with you?" Charlie asked, though it was more of a statement.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. She had been nice to her parents for Charlie's sake, but now he was asking her to hang out with them. That was too much.

"Yeah, its fine." Jacob answered for Renesmee, knowing she would not do it herself. He did not want a fight to break out on Charlie's birthday. "Come on you two…" He motioned to Bella and Edward.

"Okay." Bella nodded, after a moment, grabbing Edward's hand and letting him read her thoughts, which consisted of doing whatever Charlie asked. She wanted to see her dad happy.

Edward understood, so he complied with Bella's decision to go to the lake with R.E., Jacob, and Leah. He just wanted to keep his wife happy, and, in all honestly, the R.E. girl was becoming more fascinating to him with each passing second.

Once Renesmee, Jacob, Leah, Bella, and Edward were out of sight, Charlie turned to Esme and Carlisle.

"I want to thank you both for coming." Charlie said. "And bringing Bella…it means a lot to me to be able to see her again."

"Our pleasure, Charlie." Esme told him. "Bella was just as happy to see you."

"And she seems to be in a good mood today." Carlisle commented on his granddaughter's behavior.

"Who, Nessie?" Charlie asked.

Carlisle nodded.

Charlie shrugged. "She has her good days and she has her bad days…"

"Lately they have been mostly bad." Billy added.

"Bad?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow.

"Her temper…it's always been a little bit of a problem but lately…" Charlie shook his head. "Its like sometimes I don't know her."

"It's a teenager thing." Esme told him. "It will pass."

"Or it's a Nessie thing…" Billy said. "She has always gotten a little bent out of shape when Bella or Edward is mentioned."

"I wish she would let it go…" Carlisle sighed. "It's not their fault, its mine…"

"It's not about being left with me that bugs her." Charlie took a sip of his beer. "It's the fact that they never found her…Nessie just feels like if they loved her they would have tried harder to find her…"

"Bella and Edward did try hard…" Carlisle sighed.

Charlie shrugged. "I know that and you know that, but Renesmee doesn't want to believe that just yet." He sighed. "It's a shame too…I like having Bella so close, I wish you weren't leaving."

"I don't think we are." Carlisle said after a moment. "It doesn't look like Edward or Bella will every recognize Renesmee and, we like this town, and Bella likes being so close to you…"

"It's the first time we have seen her almost completely happy since she lost Renesmee." Esme said. "She had a hard time with that…she still does. She likes being around you, Charlie."

"Then you're not leaving." Charlie said simply. He did not want to cause his daughter any more pain then she had already endured. If the Cullen's, like Carlisle said, were no danger to Renesmee any longer, then there was no reason for them to leave. Renesmee would just have to get used to having them around. Charlie knew she would not ever let her parents know who she was, because that was her plan all along, to stay away from them, and he wasn't asking her to change that plan; she would just have to improvise and compromise a little.

* * *

Renesmee and Leah were ahead on the trail to the lake, followed by Edward, Bella, and Jacob. Jacob had fallen back to talk to Edward and Bella, not wanting them to feel un-included. He knew Renesmee wanted nothing to do with her parents, but Bella had been his best friend. He wasn't going to lose that.

"Weather is nice." Jacob commented, feeling the sun on his skin.

Bella nodded, her skin sparkling like Edward's as the continued up the trail. "I am glad there was no rain for Charlie's birthday."

"Yeah." Jacob nodded, watching as Renesmee and Leah threw light punches back and forth before giggling at their actions.

"So you fish up here often?" Edward asked Jacob, knowing Jacob was trying to make them feel included.

"Me and R.E. do." Jacob nodded, hating to use the stupid nickname Renesmee had, but he knew it was to keep Bella and Edward in the dark. "Fishing's good…plus a lot of animals come up here…so R.E. can hunt."

"She drinks animal blood?" Edward asked.

Jacob nodded. "She doesn't love it but she drinks it."

Bella smiled sadly; sometimes the R.E. girl sounded so much like Renesmee.

Edward read Bella's thoughts and wrapped an arm protectively around his wife, kissing her forehead.

"Can we move it back there?" Renesmee turned to Jacob, Bella, and Edward, but focused on Jacob. "By the time we get there the lake will be frozen over with the next ice age!"

"Ice age?" Jacob pretended to be shocked. "Why…did you actually learn something in school? How amazing!"

"Shut it." Renesmee glared playfully at Jacob.

"She really is just so lovely…" Edward said sarcastically yet again.

"She really is trying." Jacob spoke of Renesmee. "Charlie told her to give you two a chance, so she is trying her best."

"I can tell…" Bella smiled at Jacob, knowing it would mean a lot to him to speak highly of his imprint. And, the truth was, Bella did notice that the R.E. girl was acting a little nicer and a little calmer.

"She is a good kid too…" Jacob told Bella and Edward, although he knew they did not know he was speaking of their daughter.

"She seems a little…_tough_." Edward smiled, finding it funny now that a girl no bigger then Bella had thrown him like a paper plane through the air.

"Yeah." Bella agreed with her husband. "It makes me nervous she is always around Charlie…you know…in case she snaps."

"She…had a hard time…adjusting. She misses her family, I think, even though she doesn't say it." Jacob sighed, looking at Renesmee. "But she loves Charlie, as if he were her own father. She has never and would never hurt him." He looked back at Bella.

Bella did not want to approach the subject of the R.E. girl's anger, seeing as how Jacob was practically staring her down, and so she turned her attention to his first comment. "She knows her…real family?"

Jacob nodded slightly. "Well…yeah. They all don't know her but she knows them."

"What?" Bella was confused by what Jacob said. It didn't make much sense.

Jacob shrugged. "It's complicated."

Renesmee, bored with walking at human speed turned Leah. "I'll beat you to the lake. Loser has to cook carry the fish back?"

"You're on!" Leah said, taking off quickly, knowing Renesmee's speed would allow the hybrid to catch up rather quickly.

Renesmee too took off, easily flying past Leah and further up the path, closer to the river.

"Great…" Jacob mumbled, turning back to Bella and Edward. "We should run…no telling what will happen if Leah somehow beats R.E." He took off running after Leah and Renesmee.

"Let's go." Bella rolled her eyes but took off running after Jacob.

Edward too ran, and quickly joined his wife at the edge of a beautiful, blue lake. Renesmee and Leah were sitting in the sand on the small beach, hysterically laughing and Jacob leaned on a huge boulder near the two girls, laughing with them.

"Sucker!!!" Renesmee teased Leah. "Looks like that wolf speeds got nothing on me!" She stood, flexing her rather pronounced muscles for such a small frame, clearly the victor of the bet.

"Whatever." Leah rolled her eyes, standing and moving toward the boulder Jacob leaned on. "I'll carry, but like hell I am fishing." She climbed the boulder and layout, ready to sunbath in the unusually nice weather.

"Alright." Renesmee turned to Jacob. "Let's fish."

"You two want to join?" Jacob looked to Bella and Edward.

"Uh…no fishing poles, Jake." Bella realized after a moment. "I could run back and get some…" She pointed in the direction of Charlie's house.

Leah laughed at Bella's comment, but never raised her head off the rock. "Poles…yeah right. Those two are way too impatient to fish with poles…" She pointed to Renesmee and Jacob.

"Then how…" Bella started, but stopped when she noticed Renesmee began to pull her sweatshirt off, and then wiggling out of her white v-neck before pulling her tight jeans off. In five seconds flat Renesmee was in a black bra and cute boy shorts.

"Well…that's one way to get fish…" Edward smirked, glancing down at Bella.

Bella stood their shocked that the young hybrid would strip down so easily, and yet also intrigued by the girl's goddess-like appearance. The girls skin, like Renesmee's had been, sparkled a bit in the sun, but not enough for anyone to notice, and her muscles were very defined.

Renesmee turned back to Jacob. "You coming in?" She teased him with his eyes before diving into the water.

Jacob felt awkward following Renesmee in, knowing Bella and Edward were her parents and standing a few feet away. He felt, even if they did not know who Renesmee really was, that it was inappropriate.

Edward picked up on bits and pieces of Jacob's thoughts and smiled. "Jacob…don't be embarrassed in front of us." He motioned to himself and Bella, thinking Jacob was embarrassed because he had a new imprint, considering how mad Bella had gotten when she found out; Edward did not understand the real reason behind Jacob's reddened face.

"Yeah, Jake…don't be embarrassed…" Renesmee popped her head up from under the water, teasing her boyfriend. "Unless you are afraid I'll catch more fish then you…"

Jacob just shook his head; he knew Renesmee was competitive and that she would never let him live it down if she beat him in anything, and so he stripped down to his boxers and jumped in the lake as well.

"Would you like to sit?" Edward motioned to the beach, and glanced at Bella.

"Sure." Bella nodded, sitting down with Edward. She watched Renesmee and Jacob in the water, grabbing fish with their bare hands and teeth. The two were giggling and laughing, tossing fish up on the beach right and left. As Bella watched them, the image of Jacob hunting with his new imprint reminded Bella of how Jacob used to hunt with Renesmee and it caused her to take a deep, unneeded breath.

"Bella?" Edward turned to his wife. "Are you okay…" He was reading her thoughts but he wanted her to say them out loud so that they could talk about it.

Bella did not look at Edward, instead continued to stare out at Jacob and Renesmee, never once realizing for a second that it was her actual daughter out in the lake. "I just miss her…"

"Renesmee?" Edward asked.

Bella turned to Edward, almost annoyed. "Who else? Of course her…" She turned her attention back to Jacob and Renesmee in the water. "Everything reminds me of her…even them." She motioned to the couple in the lake.

"Why?" Edward raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Because that should be Renesmee out there with him…not R.E." Bella sighed. "My daughter was supposed to be with Jacob, he was supposed to be making her laugh, not some other girl…"

"Bella, you can't be mad Jacob moved on…we talked about this. It isn't fair to him." Edward wrapped an arm around his wife.

"But what about me?" Bella wanted to cry, wishing her tears would fall for once. "How is losing my daughter fair to me?"

Edward did not know how to answer her, because he knew he had no answer for his wife, so instead he kissed the top of her head and remained quiet.

After a few minutes, and about twenty fish later, Renesmee and Jacob climbed out of the lake. Renesmee gathered her clothes and moved to join Leah on the rock, trying to dry off her undergarments before putting her clothes back on.

Jacob, however, could tell by the look on Bella's face that something was bothering her, and so he gathered his clothes and sat down next to Edward and Bella. Whipping the water from his face, he turned to Bella. "Bella? What's wrong?"

Bella glanced at Jacob and then closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Nothing." She leaned into Edward's stone chest.

"Bella…I know I haven't seen you in seven years, but we were best friends…I know when something is bugging you." Jacob told her, glancing up at Edward who was trying not to smirk.

"He is right, Bella." Edward read Jacob's mind, full of all of the memories he had with Bella. "He knows you well enough to know you're lying…and so do I."

Bella looked up at her husband, as if he had betrayed her, but she knew she needed to explain herself to Jacob. She sighed, turning to the werewolf. "It's just…you hunting with…_R.E_…it reminds me of…" She looked down at her hands. "Of Nessie…"

Jacob's brow furrowed as he glanced away from Bella and to Renesmee who was starring intensely back at him, clearly having heard what Bella had told him. After a moment Renesmee just shook her head and turned away, indicating she would stand her ground on the subject; she did not need her parents.

Jacob sighed, wishing Renesmee would just tell Bella and Edward the truth, after all, she would live forever, and they had plenty of time to make up for the time they had lost, plus, it seemed pretty obvious to Jacob that Edward and Bella were not going anywhere so he didn't understand why Renesmee still wanted to stay away from them.

After a minute, Jacob turned back to Bella. "I'm sorry…I wasn't thinking."

"It's not your fault, Jake." Bella told him.

Jacob nodded, but felt like it was completely his fault. He could unbreak Bella's shattering heart by simply telling her the truth, that her daughter was still alive and well and not standing more than ten feet from them, but Renesmee would not have it, and Jacob knew it ultimately had to be Renesmee's decision to let her parents back into her life. He just hoped she decided she would.

* * *

Renesmee, Jacob, Leah, Bella, and Edward all returned to the party shortly after they had finished up hunting for the fish. Renesmee and Leah were in well enough moods, but Jacob felt bad for Bella and Bella and Edward were both rather silent, the memories of their Renesmee filling their thoughts.

Renesmee quickly moved up the deck, the fish she had caught slung over both her and Leah's shoulder.

"Dinner is here!" Renesmee dropped the fish on the table in front of Charlie and then kissed him on the cheek. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, baby." Charlie kissed her granddaughter back, and the stood, gathering the fish. "Let's just get these cooking!"

Bella felt as though she wanted to throw up or cry, lucky for her vampires could do neither. Seeing Charlie care so much for that R.E. girl made Bella both angry and sad. Angry, because it was her father and he should love her that way, and sad because she knew she cut Charlie out of her life, and she realized just how great of a person he was. She knew he would have loved Renesmee more then he loved that R.E. girl if he ever knew he had a granddaughter.

"You okay?" Edward whispered to Bella, seeing her knuckles tighten into fists and noticing her shield was up.

"Fine." Bella nodded, not taking her gaze away from the direction it was set, though her fist did relax a bit.

Edward looked in the direction Bella had her gaze set and saw that Renesmee was looking back at Bella with a strange look on her face, clearly put off by the stare Bella was throwing in her direction. Edward, wanting to break the awkward moment between the hybrid and his wife, before anyone else could notice, grabbed Bella by the arm and yanked her off the deck, onto the yard.

"Edward? What was that for?" Bella asked.

"That R.E. girl has done nothing wrong…today. I don't think staring her down is going to keep her subdued attitude intact." Edward said.

"I wasn't staring her down…" Bella said.

"Then what was that?" Edward asked.

Bella glanced back up to see that Renesmee was giggling at the grill, helping Charlie cook the fish. "It's just…it bothers me." She motioned to Renesmee and Charlie.

"What bothers you?" Edward glanced to where her hand had motioned and then back to his wife.

"That…" Bella again motioned to Charlie and Renesmee. "How close Charlie is to her…"

"Bella?" Edward tried not to smile. "Are you…_jealous _because Charlie is giving her attention?"

"He is my dad…" Bella said, knowing it sounded childish.

Edward laughed a little. "And practically hers…for all intents and purposes. I mean, he has been taking care of her since Carlisle found her…" He looked up to Charlie and Renesmee who were squirting some of the fish seasoning on each other. "He is probably the best thing that happened to her. Who knows what kind of monsters her parents were…I mean…think about it…don't you think a kid like that deserves a fair chance at having someone care about her?"

After a moment, Bella nodded, her mothering instincts kicking in. She knew, if R.E. had been abandoned as a child, it was not her fault, and if Charlie was able to help her and love her then she deserved it, even if she was rude or ill-tempered. Bella had strong feelings that no child should be left out in the cold. "I guess."

"It works both ways with them." Jacob came up from behind Bella, sipping on a beer and motioning toward Charlie and Renesmee. "Charlie needs her just as much as she needs him."

"What are you talking about?" Bella asked.

"Those two…they are two peas in a pod. Ever since Ren…_R.E._ was little." Jacob corrected himself quickly. "She has been Charlie's little buddy. AS she has gotten older she fights with him a little more…but she is a teenager. Still, at the end of the day, she loves him as any child would love a…parent." In Jacob's eyes, Charlie was the closest thing Renesmee would have to a parent, even though he was her grandfather. "And Charlie loves her…he would do anything for her." Jacob knew that Charlie loved Renesmee so much, not only because she was his grandchild but because she was Bella's child, and Charlie loved Bella so much.

Bella looked at Renesmee and Charlie, and for the first time, saw that the two of them clearly cared about each other and supported each other as any family would. She realized, if she wanted to be close to Charlie again she would have to learn to get along with R.E.

"I guess you are right." Bella turned to Jacob. "I can tell they care about each other."

"Shit! R.E.!!!" Charlie's voice was loud as he held his hand and flames leapt up from the grill. "Turn the grill down."

Renesmee giggled, reaching over and lowering the burner and shaking her head at Charlie who was now trying to hold back a smile. "I think the fish is done."

Charlie just laughed back, nodding. "I guess so. Everyone come and get it!"

Jacob blew past Bella and Edward, starving for the fish he had helped catch.

Bella and Edward stood in the background with Carlisle and Esme, not needing to eat and not wanting to get in anyone's way.

Renesmee looked up to see her grandparents and her own parents standing off the deck, and she sighed. She would take one for Charlie, but only because it was his birthday. She moved, hoping off the deck and landing in front of the vampires. "Bella? Edward? Mr. and Mrs. Cullen…" It felt weird to call her grandparents that, considering they knew who she was, unlike her parents. "I know you don't eat but…I have some blood in the house…its pigs blood…if you want…"

"No…" Carlisle shook his head, his eyes thanking his grandchild for trying so hard to be civil. "I am full but…" He glanced at his family.

"We hunted earlier." Edward smiled at Renesmee. "But thank you anyway."

Renesmee nodded, turning back toward the deck, knowing she had at least tried, but felt it hard to keep walking. Something in Edward's eyes, her father's smile, it brought up memories of her life with them when she was little, and she found herself turning back around. "Well…at least come sit with us…" She grinned the same grin that Edward had on his face. "Try and be normal?"

Edward laughed and nodded, turning to Bella who also was smiling a little. He liked to see Bella smile like that; it was not something he saw often, not since Renesmee had gone missing.

* * *

Jane could wait no longer. She had become obsessed with destroying Renesmee Carlie Cullen and ruining Bella Cullen's entire world. With those thoughts constantly plaguing her mind, she packed a small bag. She knew Aro would be mad, but she assumed he would get over her departing ahead of them to go after the Cullen clan.

"What are you doing?" Alec entered his sister's room, curious as to why she was packing.

"Heading to the States." Jane replied.

Alec grabbed his sister's arm, holding her in place. "Aro has not given us word to leave yet."

"And I do not care." Jane said. "I have to go."

"And when you arrive before us, what do you plan on doing? You cannot drink the child, Aro will be angry." Alec said.

"I don't plan on drinking her…I plan on capturing Renesmee and torturing her…driving Bella wild with every second I have her precious child." Jane said.

Alec nodded, understanding. "So that is what this is about? You are that desperate to watch Bella Cullen shackled with pain that you will defy Aro and his orders."

"Please, understand." Jane asked of her bother. "Bella has been the only person I cannot get to…I must break her. She is no more special than any of us."

Alec said nothing, but let his sister go, his release of her arm indicating to her that he would not let Aro in on her plan at the present moment and she was free to carry on with her plan.


	9. Let's Make A Deal

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 8**

It was Monday again, and two days after Charlie's birthday and both Edward and Bella sat in biology, patiently waiting to see if R.E. would come into the class. She had not been in school for almost two weeks now, between the cafeteria scene and the arrest, she had been a busy girl.

For some unexplained reason, Bella was in edge, hoping R.E. would show up, and yet she couldn't explain it. It was not as though she and R.E. had become best friends at Charlie's party, but they had certainly been civil to one another, and that was enough for Bella. She knew if she wanted to be a part of Charlie's life she would have to be cordial with R.E.

The bell rang and Bella sighed.

"What?" Edward glanced at his wife.

"Nothing…" Bella shook her head, disappointed R.E. had not shown up.

"You wanted to see her?" Edward cracked a surprised smile, reading Bella's thoughts. "Didn't know you liked her enough…" Edward spoke of R.E.

"I just…if I want to be in Charlie's life, I am going to have to be in hers, right?" Bella gave a tight lipped smile at her husband before turning her attention to Ms. Masen who was explaining a class project.

"Right." Edward nodded, laughing at Bella's changing attitude about R.E. although he couldn't say much; for some reason he had felt oddly attracted to the girl, as if he wanted to make sure she was always safe.

Suddenly the door to the classroom came banging open and in walked Renesmee, a grin on her face.

"Well, well, well…Miss Masen." Ms. Martin gave a tight-lipped grin as she bounced on her feet. "Looks like you are late again…after two straight weeks of cutting."

"I wasn't cutting." Renesmee snapped, in no mood for Ms. Martin.

"No…just breaking tables and drunk driving." Ms. Martin called Renesmee out, trying to make her into a fool. "Not that missing class will effect your grade…its hard to get lower then an F."

Renesmee bit her lip, knowing she could not afford another detention or suspension for the year. Instead, she just looked down in defeat and shuffled down the aisle to her seat.

Bella's heart broke for the daughter she did not recognize, and turned around to see Renesmee slumped in her seat, her head down.

"No comment back, Ms. Masen?" Ms. Martin continued to ride Renesmee. "That _is_ a first…"

Renesmee's head snapped up, unable to take it anymore. "I'm sorry? Were you talking? It is hard to understand you with a voice like chalk on a board."

"That's more like it." Ms. Martin seemed to like getting a rise out of Renesmee. "See you in detention today…"

Renesmee sighed, looking at her hands in defeat.

Bella shook her head, feeling for Renesmee. She did not know why, but she felt strangly protective over the hybrid.

"A problem, Mrs. Cullen?" Ms. Martin saw Bella's head shake.

Bella was not one to talk back to anyone, especially not a teacher, but in this instance she felt the need to stand up for the girl she called R.E. "Yeah. I…I think you should apologize to her." She motioned to Renesmee.

"Excuse me?" Ms. Martin raised an eyebrow, slightly shocked by her newest student's word.

"Bella…" Edward warned, wanting his wife to draw little attention.

But Bella ignored Edward, a protective instinct overpowering her other senses. "I said you should apologize. R.E. didn't do anything to you but come in late…and you had no right calling her out like that…"

"You hardly know her, Mrs. Cullen, and I assure you, you do not want to know her. R.E. Masen is nothing but an underachieving, lazy, waste of a student." Ms. Martin said. "And if you were smart you would stay away from her."

Renesmee could tell Bella was about to say something back to Ms. Martin and didn't want her to. For some reason, Renesmee was worried that the mother who could not recognize her would get in trouble.

"Just sit down…" Renesmee pulled on the back of Bella's shirt.

"Well there is the first smart thing you have said all semester, Ms. Masen." Ms. Martin said, indicating Bella should listen to her and sit down.

"No." Bella shook her head at Renesmee and turned back to Ms. Martin. "She is not stupid."

"Oh really?" Ms. Martin laughed. "Well…I'll let you figure that one out yourself. Mrs. Cullen, Ms. Masen the two of you are partner's for the class project."

"Great." Bella smiled, ready to prove Ms. Martin wrong.

"Ugh…" Renesmee groaned, throwing her head down on her table. Bella was the last person she wanted to be paired up with. She could only be civil to her parents for so long, and it was for Charlie's sake, simply because he had asked her to be nice to her parents, but now she would have to be doing a project with her mother on top of it.

* * *

Aro moved gracefully through the hallways of his hidden palace. He had not seen Jane in a few days and went straight to Alec for answering, knowing the young vampire would know where to find his sister. He met Alec in his own room.

"Aro…" Alec nodded as Aro entered.

"I am sure you have a slight idea of why I am here." Aro smiled at Alec.

Alec nodded, knowing it was for Jane. He knew Aro would figure it out shortly after her departure, that Jane was no longer there. "Yes."

"Then show me…please…" Aro continued to smile at Alec.

Alec nodded, not wanting to go against his sister but more concerned with crossing Aro. He stood, leaning his head forward and allowing Aro to touch him.

Instantly Aro's mind filled with the conversation that had taken place between Jane and Alec, and Aro knew Jane had gone after Renesmee, all to watch Bella crumble in pain.

Aro let go of Alec and nodded. "So Jane went off to visit our friends, the Cullen's, without the rest of us…"

Alec looked away, not answering Aro.

"Very interesting…" Aro nodded, moving away from Alec and out of the room. He needed time to deliberate his next move, knowing Jane's actions had set any plan in his mind off sooner than expected.

* * *

School had taken rather long by Renesmee's standards and she was glad the day was done. She had decided to skip out on Ms. Martin's detention, knowing she would only have to serve another tomorrow, and instead made her way across the parking lot of her Escalade.

Julie, on her crutches, was already next to Renesmee's truck. She had shattered her leg, and punctured a lung, but was doing much better and fully thanked Renesmee for her life.

"Hey, Julie…" Renesmee nodded to her friend. "What's up?"

"Waiting for Nick and Lucy…" Julie motioned up to Nick and Lucy whose injuries from the accident had healed as they walked toward Renesmee and Julie. "We are going to see Derek…"

"Oh." Renesmee nodded. Derek was still in jail, unable to post bail, for his drunk driving incident.

"Did you…want to come?" Julie asked.

"Uh…no…" Renesmee shook her head, leaning up against her Cadillac, next to Julie. She did not blame Derek for what happened, knowing she should have done all she could to stop him, but she was not letting him off the hook that easily for almost killing all of her friends.

"Are you sure?" Julie asked. She had always been under the impression that Renesmee had liked Derek even though she had met Jacob a few times.

"Positive…" Renesmee nodded, noticing Bella was starting to make her way toward her. She straightened up. "I…uh…gotta go, Julie." She moved past her friend, climbing into the car.

"Uh…sure." Julie nodded, used to Renesmee's weird tendencies by now. "See you tomorrow."

Renesmee gave a head nod and was about to close the door when she heard Bella's voice.

"R.E.?" Bella was almost at the door to Renesmee's car now, and Renesmee could see it was taking all of Bella's restraint to walk at human speed.

Renesmee debated slamming the door in her mother's face, but then decided against it. Instead she rolled her eyes. "What?"

Bella was now outside of the Escalade. "I was just wondering when you wanted to get started on that project."

Renesmee glanced up, noticing Edward across the parking lot, watching her intensely. Renesmee shivered under her father's stare, knowing he did not remember her or was choosing not to. She finally turned her attention back to Bella. "I don't."

"You don't what?" Bella was confused.

"I don't want to work on it." Renesmee told the mother that had forgotten her. "At all…ever." She sighed and then shook her head, almost laughing.

Renesmee's reaction eerily reminded Bella of Edward and she did not know why. "We need to get a good grade."

"No…you do." Renesmee told her. "I don't care what I get on it."

Before Bella could say another word, Renesmee yanked the door of her Escalade shut and sped off, out of the parking lot.

Edward was at Bella's side a moment later, kissing her cheek. "So she didn't want to work on the project?" Clearly, he had been reading Renesmee's mind across the parking lot.

"Surprise, surprise." Bella said sarcastically.

Edward chuckled a bit. "So R.E. doesn't care about school…big deal."

"It's not that…it's the fact that I need the time this project would have given me with her." Bella said.

"Why?" Edward raised an eyebrow.

"If I want to stay close to Charlie, I need to at least get R.E. to not hate me." Bella said.

"She doesn't hate you…" Edward assured his wife.

"Well either way…she is going to help me work on this project." Bella told Edward as the plan developed in her head of exactly how she was going to get Renesmee to work on the project with her and at least respect her enough to let them both exist in Charlie's life peacefully. She had to get to Charlie's as soon as she could.

* * *

Charlie was busy in the kitchen, trying to unload the few items Renesmee did like to eat from the grocery store into the refrigerator. He was just about done when he heard a knock on the door.

"It's opened!" Charlie called out.

A second later, Bella was standing in the frame of the kitchen doorway. "Dad?"

Charlie looked over from the fridge and smiled at his daughter's unchanged form before closing the door. He realized that Bella truly did not look a day over eighteen and that she never would. "Hey baby."

"Do you need help?" Bella motioned to the grocery bags on the counter.

"No." Charlie shook his head, gathering the bags and tossing them in the trash. "All unpacked. I don't need to shop a lot…R.E. doesn't eat much."

Bella just nodded, moving into the kitchen and taking a seat in the chair.

"So?" Charlie leaned against the counter. "What brings you around?" He was truly happy to see his daughter, having really enjoyed the time he had with her at his birthday, but he was confused by her sudden visit.

"Actually…it has to do with R.E." Bella said.

Charlie's rolled his eyes, wondering what Renesmee could have possibly done now. Then his face went white when he started to wonder if Bella had figured out who R.E. actually was. "What…what did she do?"

"She and I are actually working on a biology project together." Bella told her dad.

Relief flew through Charlie's body. A project seemed harmless enough. "Oh? Well…good luck with that. R.E. isn't exactly the most dedicated student."

"I noticed…" Bella nodded. "I was hoping…to change that."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at Bella's comment. He had been trying to get Renesmee to pay attention in school since the second he sent her. It was not that Renesmee was dumb, she just didn't try. He was intrigued by what Bella had to say. "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well…I am sure I can get her to work on the project…I just need to be able to get a hold of her." Bella said. "I tried to talk to her in the parking lot and she didn't want much to do with the project, so what I was hoping for, actually was that you could maybe…make her work on the project."

Charlie stifled a laugh. "Its hard to get her to do anything…"

"Dad…she shouldn't be allowed to do whatever she wants. You are still the adult." Bella told him.

Charlie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, knowing Bella did not understand his relationship with Renesmee at all because she did not understand that R.E. was actually Renesmee. "I'll try…"

"Plus…I want to spend more time with her." Bella admitted, although she could not explain exactly why she felt that way.

"You do?" Charlie was surprised.

"Yeah." Bella nodded. "I figure…if I want to be in your life…I have to be in hers."

Charlie smiled, knowing if Renesmee gave Bella a chance, it would be impossible for the girl not to love her mother.

Suddenly the roar of Renesmee's truck cut down the road, and up the driveway, cutting off quickly.

"Well…she is home." Bella stood.

A second later, Renesmee was running through the door, tossing her backpack on the stairs. "Charlie?"

"In the kitchen." Charlie told his granddaughter.

Renesmee made her way quickly into the kitchen. "I am starving…" Renesmee's voice faded and she came to a full standstill when she saw Bella sitting at the kitchen table.

"R.E., look who stopped by." Charlie motioned to Bella.

"I see…" Renesmee nodded slowly, and went to the refrigerator, grabbing an apple.

"I heard you and Bella are working on a project together." Charlie smiled, glad that there was a reason that Renesmee would have to spend some time together.

"Oh you heard that?" Renesmee asked Charlie before glancing at Bella. "Well…I am not so sure it's a group thing…"

"R.E., don't give me that crap." Charlie told her. "You are going to help Bella with the project."

Renesmee looked up at Charlie, her brow furrowed. She didn't understand why her grandfather would force her to spend time with the mother who did not recognize her, the mother she did not want to get to know. "I am?"

"You are." Charlie smiled. The truth was, he thought it was getting ridiculous that Renesmee would not reveal herself to her parents. At first, he had been on her side with the whole thing, but after seeing how much pain Renesmee's disappearance brought Bella, and knowing how much time Renesmee, Edward, and Bella would have to make up the few missed years together, he was starting to think it was time Renesmee told the truth.

Renesmee could see it from the look in Charlie's eyes, that she could not win this argument against her grandfather. He was set on her working on the project, so she sighed. "Fine."

"Great." Bella jumped up from her seat. "Let's get started."

"You want to start _now_?" Renesmee whined.

"Yes." Bella said simply. "My place?"

"Uh…sure." Renesmee nodded. "Let me grab my keys…."

"Great." Bella said again before going up to Charlie and giving him a kiss. "It was good to see you, Dad."

"You too, sweetie." Charlie smiled at Bella as he watched her walk out of the front door. He then turned his attention to Renesmee. "Have fun." He smiled sarcastically.

Renesmee just rolled her eyes, mumbling something under her breath that Charlie's human hearing could not pick up on as she walked out the door to meet Bella who was already standing at her Cadillac. Renesmee had a feeling it was going to be a long week already.

* * *

Aro had called Alec into his great room, and Alec could not help the feeling of nervousness that captured his body. He could not help but feel for Jane, after all, it was his sister, and he knew Aro had only called on him to discuss how they would handle Jane running off.

Alec entered the room quietly to find Aro standing in the center, hands behind his back, and an evil grin on his face.

"Alec…thank you for coming." Aro continued to smile.

Alec just nodded.

"As I am sure you are well aware, I have called on you to discuss your sister." Aro began.

Alec nodded again. "I figured that."

"Well…seeing as how Jane has taken off after the Cullen's already without my blessing it is safe to say she has crossed a line…" Aro said. "However…I am a vampire of understanding, and so I understand sometimes people get ahead of themselves. Therefore…I will give Jane some time to come to her senses and return home…"

"You are very kind, Aro." Alec told him.

"However…I have no use for someone who will not listen." Aro added. "And so if she does not return…I will have no choice but to destroy her. She has the potential to release a very big battle that I do not want to take place. Jane has her purpose…yes…but I have the plan to deal with the Cullen's, and that is the plan that must be followed. Jane will not ruin my chances of getting to Renesmee…not after all of these years."

"I understand." Alec nodded. He did worry for his sister, yet he knew she had screwed up and there would be consequences for her actions.

"Very well…you may go." Aro turned his back to Alec, indicating the young vampire leave without another word being said. He would give Jane a week or two to gather her senses and return. If she did not, Aro he knew would need to initiate his plan against Renesmee before Jane could ruin it on him.

* * *

Renesmee sat in the Cullen's living room bored out of her mind. Bella was sitting next to her, hunched over a few books, and writing notes feverishly, but Renesmee could not be bothered. She did not want to be doing homework period, but especially not with the mother who could not recognize her, in the house of her vampire family.

Renesmee yawned, leaning back into the couch.

"You can help anytime you want." Bella glanced up from her book and over at Renesmee.

"I don't want to." Renesmee said, hopping off the couch and stretching out on the floor. "I told you…I don't want to do this project at all."

"And I told Charlie we would work on it together." Bella said. "Plus…you need the grade, don't you?"

Renesmee glared at Bella. "I am not stupid…I just don't give a shit. It doesn't matter anyway…I get to redo high school in a few years again."

"Still…" Bella said.

Suddenly, Esme walked in, with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. "Cookie break?"

Renesmee glanced up at the cookies, noticing they were her favorite and smiling up at her grandmother, thankful she remembered such a simple thing. "Hell yeah!"

"Hey…watch that mouth." Esme scolded, and then noticed the strange look she got from Bella. Knowing Bella had no idea why Esme would discipline Renesmee, since she did not know Esme was Renesmee's grandmother or that Renesmee was her own child. Esme quickly straightened herself out. "I don't think Charlie would like it."

Renesmee just grinned at her grandmother, knowing she was trying to downplay their interaction so Bella would not get suspicious. "Sorry, _Mrs. Cullen_." Renesmee grabbed the plate of cookies.

Esme just shook her head before turning her attention to Bella. "How is the project?"

Bella glanced at Renesmee who was enthralled in the fresh cookies and then back at her mother-in-law. "Could be better."

Esme nodded, patting Bella on the back and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "I think it's good you took some initiative with R.E. I think she could use the help." Esme then stood; satisfied with the small smile that was on Bella's face she decided to leave the pair alone in the living room. She liked to see the mother and daughter together, even if the mother did not know it was her daughter.

"Okay…so…after cookie's can we work on this project?" Bella asked.

Renesmee sat up, tossing a piece of cookie in her mouth. "Look…I get what you are trying to do, but I don't know why. My grades are not that important to me, and lets face it, you don't like me every much…"

"That's not true." Bella shook her head. "You just haven't given me a chance…"

"You're being nice to me so you can see your dad." Renesmee knew Bella's motivation. "And please, just see Charlie…I don't care…just don't torture me with this school crap."

Bella was caught off guard that the girl she thought was named R.E. was so observant and had figured her motivations out long ago. "I…I just want to get along with you…for Charlie."

"Charlie doesn't need us to be best friends…trust me." Renesmee said, knowing Charlie understood why she did not want to tell Bella who she really was.

"Well, we are still going to work on this project…" Bella started, but was cut off by Emmett and Edward who had returned from a run.

"Hello! Hello!" Emmett bellowed, a grin on his face.

"Hey." Bella smiled, kissing Edward. "How was the run?"

"Not bad." Edward smiled at his wife, and then noticed Renesmee on the floor. "R.E.? Working on the biology project?"

Renesmee just rolled her eyes at the father who did not recognize her. "Not for my enjoyment…"

Emmett couldn't help but laugh at the girl's attitude. He found her rather funny, and unlike the rest of the Cullen's really did not mind the R.E. girl's demeanor. He quickly moved around the couch, flipping the TV on before taking a seat next to Bella. "Well…if she doesn't want to work on it, you should take a break." He grabbed the controller to his video games.

"_We_ haven't done anything yet…_I _have." Bella glared at Renesmee.

"And _you _are going to end up doing it all yourself, because I am not helping." Renesmee said, and then turned her attention to her Uncle Emmett. She couldn't help it, he was like a huge teddy bear, and no matter how hard she tried to hate him, she found it impossible. He was one of the only Cullen's she had met, aside from Esme and Carlisle, that she wished knew who she was. "What games you got?"

"Uh…" Emmett was surprised. "You play?" He motioned to the TV.

"Hell yes." Renesmee snorted. "I rock my fair share of video games…Jacob likes them."

"Ahh, what a good girlfriend…" Emmett understood Renesmee's interest in video games.

"I kick his ass in every single one." Renesmee told him.

"Oh yeah?" Emmett loved a challenge. "Well, let's go then." He tossed Renesmee a controller.

"Game on…" Renesmee smirked, turning her attention to the TV.

Bella just sighed, tossing her book down and stalking out of the room. She realized she had lost the battle with her group project partner, at least at the present moment.

Edward took one last glance at Renesmee and Emmett and couldn't help but find the girl he knew as R.E. rather intriguing. Her laugh, her smirk, her eyes…they all seemed familiar to him, and yet he could not place them. He sighed, following his wife out of the room.

* * *

Charlie sat in the living room, watching a baseball game, when he heard a knock on the door. He sighed, putting his beer down, about to get up.

"It's Jacob!" Jacob's voice came from outside the door.

Charlie picked his beer back up, getting comfortable in his recliner again. "Doors open!"

Jacob opened the door and made his way into the living room where he found Charlie. "Hey Charlie."

"Jacob." Charlie nodded at the werewolf.

"Is Nessie around?" Jacob asked.

"Actually…she isn't." Charlie sighed, motioning for Jacob to take a seat. "She is out…working on a project."

Jacob sat down and raised an eyebrow. "Like a school project?"

Charlie nodded.

"But Nessie hates school." Jacob added.

"Yeah…and she really hates it now." Charlie said. "She got paired up for a biology assignment with Bella…she is at the Cullen's working on it right now."

"With Bella?" Jacob shook his head. "But…aren't you worried Bella will figure out that she is actually Renesmee?"

Charlie shook his head. "You saw her at my party. Bella has no idea that Renesmee is actually Renesmee…Bella really thinks she is dead."

Jacob nodded, understanding what Charlie meant. "Still though…Nes doesn't want anything to do with Bella..."

"Well, I am hoping this project…the time Nes will have to spend around Bella will maybe make her change her mind. It doesn't seem like Renesmee is in any danger with the Cullen's anymore…so I think it is stupid for her to keep up with story, Bella deserves to know her daughter is alive." Charlie said. "I don't think Nessie is being fair about this…I know she thinks she is saving them all grief, letting Bella and Edward think she is dead but…"

"Maybe…maybe Nes isn't so concerned with their feelings anymore." Jacob suggested. "I mean…she may say that she is doing this to ease their pain but…maybe she is just scared."

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.

Jacob shrugged. "Nessie hasn't had parents in seven years…she is hurt and angry about what happened and no matter how many times she tells you she understand…I am just not sure she does."

"Nessie knows that what Carlisle did was to protect her…" Charlie said.

"I agree with that. What Renesmee doesn't get though is why her parents never found her. She has said it so many times to me…that she was so close, that they could have found her if they had looked harder…I really think she wanted to be found, and its killing her to know they never did…that the just accepted her supposed death." Jacob said.

Charlie nodded after a minute, sighing. "I get that…and I…I knew she felt that way…so that's why I am hoping that being around Bella and Edward will make Nes realize how much her parents did love her…maybe help her get over the hurt."

Jacob nodded after a moment. "Yeah…that would be good. I think Renesmee does need her parents…despite what even she may think."

"Guess we will see." Charlie picked up his beer, taking a sip.

"Guess so…" Jacob agreed, wondering what the outcome of Renesmee spending time with the Cullen's would actually be. In the back of his mind, Jacob had always wanted Renesmee to reconcile with her parents, because he knew, despite what she said, the Nessie missed Bella and Edward. Still, Jacob also knew that if Renesmee did not want Bella and Edward to get close to her, then they would not. She was very strong willed, and that was what Jacob loved about his imprint.

* * *

Bella made her way into the kitchen with Edward following behind her. She tossed her books onto the table and then pulled her chair up, clearly frustrated.

All of the commotion caused Esme and Carlisle to come into the kitchen from Carlisle's office.

"Everything okay in here?" Carlisle asked.

Edward tried to hide his smile as she saw how frustrated Bella was becoming over a simple biology project. "We are fine…"

"Do not laugh at me, Edward." Bella said, without looking up at her husband. "I can hear it in your voice…"

"Sorry…" Edward mumbled, but was still trying to fight his smile.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Esme asked, running a hand over Bella's dark hair.

"I just…I tried." Bella looked up at Esme. "I really tried…for Charlie's sake…to get along with R.E. but it just isn't going to work…"

"Hold on…" Edward raised an eyebrow. "It's not going to work all because she doesn't want to do some stupid biology project with you? That is hardly a reason to give up."

"It's not the project…it's the symbol behind the project." Bella said. "I was trying to work on this with her…to get to know her…maybe so we could get along and both be a part of Charlie's life."

"Bella…" Edward moved, kissing the top of her head. "You both can be…I doubt this biology project is going to be the determination of your relationship with that girl."

"There is no relationship…" Bella said. "She hates me…and I am annoyed by her."

"Annoyed?" Charlie raised an eyebrow, finding it funny that Renesmee could get under Bella's skin so easily. It seemed very appropriate though, seeing as how Bella was the girl's mother.

"She is more concerned with that stupid video game then her grade." Bella motioned into the other room where Emmett and Renesmee were. "She clearly doesn't want to get to know me, and doesn't care if we get along or not…not even for Charlie's sake."

If Carlisle knew one thing about his granddaughter, he knew Renesmee always put Charlie first, and he could see where Bella was coming from, wanting to form a relationship with Renesmee in hopes to get closer to her father. Carlisle, however, also knew Renesmee's feelings about her parents and the situation they were all in, and knew it would not be easy to get Renesmee to talk to anyone she did not want to, especially not the parents who did not recognize her. Still, assuming it would be easier for all if Bella and Edward just knew who Renesmee truly was, Carlisle decided to help out.

"Well…let's see what I can do…" Carlisle turned his attention to the living room. "R.E.? Could you come in the kitchen for a second?"

In a flash, Renesmee showed up in the kitchen, assuming her grandfather and grandmother were in there, and slightly surprised to see Edward and Bella in there as well.

"Uh…yeah?" The small smile on Renesmee's face seemed to fade as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Well…I believe you are here to work on your project with Bella…" Carlisle motioned to Bella who was sitting at the table.

Renesmee looked toward her mother and then glared at her grandfather. "So?"

"So…don't you think you should help her?" Carlisle asked, his eyes coaxing Renesmee to just go along with him. "It is for your grade as well…"

Renesmee shrugged, folding her arms and leaning against the doorframe. "So? My grades reflect my work…I am barely passing anything."

"You are smarted then that…" Esme frowned at her grandchild before shaking her head, knowing she shouldn't know Renesmee so well if she were going to continue to pull off the lie in front of Bella and Edward. "Or so Charlie says…"

"Charlie wouldn't know." Renesmee sighed. "Charlie works a lot…doesn't check my grades…as long as I pass he is a happy man."

"Well…you can't pass without working on this project." Carlisle motioned toward Bella at the table. "So sit."

Renesmee realized by the tone in his voice and the look in his eyes that Carlisle was ordering her to sit, not ask, and so she reluctantly listened to her grandfather, moving toward the table and sitting next to Bella. "Fine…"

"There you go." Carlisle smiled at Renesmee before motioning Esme out of the room, wanting to give Bella, Edward, and Renesmee alone time, in hopes that Renesmee would open up and tell the truth about who she was.

"So…" Bella smiled tightly at Renesmee. "Let's begin."

Renesmee sighed, looking away and then down at her hands. "This is stupid…I can't do this."

"You don't have a choice, R.E." Bella took Renesmee's words as the girls refusal to do the work.

"No." Renesmee looked back at her mother's golden eyes. "I can't do it…like I can't at all…I don't even know what the project is about."

"It's everything we have learned the past few weeks." Bella said, slightly confused.

Renesmee shrugged. "I have barely been there…and even when I am…I am not exactly listening…"

"Well then…" Bella moved a huge textbook in front of Renesmee. "You are going to have to read the book…"

Renesmee pushed the book away. "I don't want to read the book…I don't care about it…biology is stupid!"

Edward studied Renesmee and realized that the girl's brain was screaming over and over that she knew nothing of biology, and it was angering her that Bella wouldn't let her off the hook. Clearly, the R.E. girl thought she was stupid. Edward couldn't help but laugh at this, able to see inside of Renesmee's head, and see how smart she was, understanding every concept in every subject except biology.

Edward's laugh caused Bella and Renesmee to both glare at him, and for a second he thought he was starring at twins.

"What's so funny?" Renesmee asked the father who did know recognize her.

"You're not stupid, R.E." Edward's smile faded as he moved toward the hybrid. "I know you think you are but…I can get in your head…I know you're not."

"In biology I am…" Renesmee mumbled.

"So?" Edward pulled up a chair between Renesmee and Bella. "Who cares? It's just one class…one teacher…one dumb project." He motioned toward the materials that sat in front of Bella.

"I don't care…" Renesmee nodded toward Bella, not making eye contact. "She cares."

Edward looked at Bella whose brow was furrowed and then nodded, turning back to Renesmee. "That is true." He grinned.

Renesmee couldn't help but smile back at her father, mirroring the image of his own smile. She was finding it harder to hate him. "So you see my dilemma."

Edward nodded. "I think there is only one solution."

"Yeah…we work on the project." Bella butted in.

"No." Edward looked to his wife, his smile never fading. "You make a deal."

"A deal?" Renesmee raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…" Edward nodded, glancing at Renesmee. "If you work on the project…Bella does something for you."

"No way!" Bella cut in. "It's_ our_ project…_our _grade…that should be reason enough to help."

"But…" Edward smiled at Bella, pointing at Renesmee. "R.E. doesn't care about _your _project or _your _grade…so you have to meet her half way."

Bella sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, knowing that Edward was only trying to help. "Fine…what is the deal?"

Edward's gaze shifted to Renesmee. "What do you want?"

Renesmee's mind shouted a million things, the most important thing she wanted or so she thought, was the Cullen's gone, but as she sat there with her parents she was finding it harder and harder to want that, especially when it came to her father. For some reason, she felt a sudden connection to him, and she could not shake it. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn't.

"I want…" Renesmee thought and then realized she did want something from Bella. "I want you to come over…and clean my house."

"What?" Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Charlie makes me clean it on the weekends…I hate it…." Renesmee says. "So next Saturday, I want you to come clean."

"I am not…" Bella started.

"Bella…" Edward glanced to his wife, talking through clenched teeth. "She is going to help with the project…" He leaned closer to his wife. "Plus…you cleaning her house gives you more time to get to know her."

"Ugh…" Bella rolled her eyes, knowing Edward was right, and then looked toward Renesmee. "Fine…deal."

"Good." Edward leaning back in his chair, smiling at Renesmee. "Its settled then."

Renesmee nodded, unable to hide the grin that matched her father's. She felt a bond with him in that instant that she could not explain. She realized that Edward was not as bad as she had originally thought he was. She knew, if he hadn't lost her and given up so easily on finding her, that she would have loved her father like no other; she would have been a daddy's girl.

* * *

Jane made her way off the plane, glad the sun was setting in Seattle and she would be able to move freely in the streets of the city without anyone detecting her.

She moved swiftly out of the airport and down the road, knowing the faster she made it to the woods the fast she could run, and hopefully pick up the scent of the Cullen's. She knew they were somewhere in the area, but she was not positive where exactly. Still, she did not see it taking her more then a few days to find them and Renesmee.


	10. The Vision

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 9**

Bella lay in bed next to Edward, her face nuzzling into his stone cold chest. It was Saturday and, like she had promised, she was supposed to go over and clean Charlie's house for that R.E. girl. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but R.E. had held up her end of the bargain and worked on the project with Bella, or rather, worked on certain parts at home completely separate from Bella.

"Don't you have to get going?" Edward smirked down at his wife as he glanced at the clock on the end table.

"Ugh…" Bella pulled the sheets up over her head. "I don't want to clean."

Edward smiled and yanked the sheets down, exposing Bella's face. "You made a deal, Bella…"

"R.E. didn't even hold up her end, she did her parts of the project over at Charlie's." Bella complained.

"But she still did them…" Edward said.

"But the whole point of working with her was to get closer to her, so it wouldn't be so strange around Charlie. Instead, we didn't spend any time together." Bella said.

"And you act like that is a bad thing…" Edward sighed. "I didn't know you wanted to be friends with her."

"I don't." Bella said quickly. "I don't know what it is…but something about her…it makes me want to get to know her."

"And you don't think that has anything to do with the fact that she is…you know…like Renesmee…or what Renesmee would have been?" Edward asked, truthfully that was how he was feeling.

Bella shook her head, glancing at the picture on her side table of her holding Renesmee when she was two weeks old. "No…I don't think Renesmee would have been much like R.E."

"Why not?" Edward asked.

"Because R.E. is broken." Bella sighed. "I feel bad for her…I am sure she hasn't had it easy but…my baby would have never been like that…I would have never let her hurt as much as that R.E. girl has been hurt."

"Yeah but…the logistics of it…R.E. and Renesmee would have been similar." Edward said.

Bella shrugged. "I don't want to know R.E. because she is the same thing as Renesmee…I want to know R.E. because if I don't I can't keep a relationship with Charlie…it's as simple as that. Renesmee was my little angel, she always will be. I am not going to dishonor her memory by comparing her to R.E."

"Okay…fair enough." Edward nodded, knowing just how sore of a subject Renesmee and her death was with Bella.

Bella sat very still for a moment before getting out of bed and moving toward her closet, pulling some clothes out. "I can't believe I am going to clean."

"A deal is a deal…" Edward smirked.

Bella passed a death glare at Edward, but could not hold her laugh in as he sat there, staring back at her, his crooked grin on his face. Bella's laugh caused Edward to laugh as well. He was glad Bella seemed to be in a decent mood.

* * *

Renesmee sat on the couch of her living room wrapped around Jacob, in a deep make-out session. Charlie had left early to go fishing with Billy and Jacob had come over the second Charlie was out of sight. He and Bella had not moved from the couch since.

The knock on the door was the first interruption for the couple.

"Ugh…" Renesmee groaned. "I bet that's…_mom_." She hated calling Bella "mom" but Charlie had instilled in her that it was disrespectful to call her "Bella" unless it was to keep the lie of Renesmee's existence going, so Renesmee had just gotten used to calling Bella "mom".

"You invited her over…" Jacob reminded her.

"To clean…not destroy my Saturday morning activities…" Renesmee winked at Jacob but stood, moving toward the door.

"Its fine…I should head back to the reservation anyway…meet up with the pack." Jacob said.

Renesmee opened the door to see Bella standing on the front porch.

"Hey." Bella gave a small wave, and then noticed Jacob. "Jake…didn't think you would be here so early…"

"Actually…I am on my way out." Jacob said, his face red with embarrassment; the look Bella was giving him indicated she knew the exact reason for his visit and what he had Renesmee had been doing all morning.

"Well…call me later?" Renesmee asked as Jacob walked out the door.

"You know I will." Jacob leaned back in, kissing Renesmee. "Love you."

"Love you." Renesmee smiled at Jacob.

"Bye, Bells…" Jacob waved to Bella and then made his way down the steps.

Once Jacob was out of the front yard, Renesmee turned to the mother who did not recognize her. "Ready to clean?"

Bella sighed. "I guess…"

"Good." Renesmee nodded, satisfied. "Come on in." She stepped aside to let Bella into the house, happy that her Saturday morning chores were someone else's problem for the day.

* * *

Jane had picked up the scent of vampires after searching for the past few days, although she couldn't be sure it was the Cullen's. The scents were crisscrossed all over a span of three different areas.

The scents were in the town of Forks, across an Indian Reservation, and in another small town of Cassleville. Jane knew that the Cullen's had lived in Forks before and wondered if they were still stationed out there. She figured that would be the best place to start looking.

So Jane gracefully ran passed the welcoming sign to Forks, Washington, moving far too fast for any human to see her, even on the cloudy day.

* * *

Bella made her way up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. She had already cleaned up the kitchen, bathroom, and living room downstairs as R.E. had watched her every move, and now she had finally made it upstairs.

She flicked the lights on to find a light gray paint on the walls, which were busy with things hanging off of them. Bella realized instantly she was in the girl she knew as R.E.'s room, and couldn't help but poke around a bit.

Bella moved around the room, looking at everything she could. In one corner she found an O.A.R. and a Pepper poster, indicating R.E.'s taste in music, which Bella was not a huge fan of. In another corner she found a shelf with all different trophies on it, ranging from soccer to basketball to lacrosse. She noticed the last trophy was from last year, and wondered why, if the girl she thought was R.E.'s was such a good athlete she had quit all of her sports this year. Bella then moved to another wall, full of pictures. There were pictures of R.E. playing sports, pictures of R.E. and her friends from school, pictures of R.E. with Charlie, and pictures of her with Jacob. All were recent, and R.E. had not changed much, except that in a few her hair was an amazing bronze color rather than the blonde it was now.

Bella decided then to start cleaning. She turned to the unmade bed, about to adjust the sheets when something on the nightstand caught her eye. It was a picture of her, holding Renesmee outside of their cottage when Renesmee was a few months old. Bella remembered the day, it had been sunny outside, and Renesmee had shown them she wanted to lay in the grass and watch her parents both sparkle in the sun, and so Bella and Edward had taken her outside and the lay on the front lawn all day, the three of them. It had been a great day, and Bella knew if she could, she would be crying at the memory.

Bella was, however, slightly confused, wondering why this R.E. girl had a picture of Renesmee and herself sitting next to her bed.

"Are you okay?" Renesmee called from the door as she casually leaned against it, watching Bella.

Bella's head snapped up at the voice. "Uh…yeah…sorry." She was slightly stunned.

Renesmee brow furrowed as she glanced down at what had caught Bella's attention and her stomach dropped. She could not believe she had forgotten to put the picture of Bella and the baby version of herself away. She did not want Bella to see that, not only because it would raise a lot of questions, but because Renesmee didn't like anyone to see that she still held onto part of her mother. Renesmee was hurt beyond repair by Edward and Bella, but no matter how much she tried to fight it, a part of her had always missed and loved her parents. That was why that picture sat next to her bed.

"Why…why do you have this?" Bella asked, holding the picture up.

"I…uh…" Renesmee's mind began racing, concocting a story to tell Bella. "Charlie…gave it to me." She shrugged. "He said…it was to remember I wasn't the only one like me…that Renesmee…would have been like me." She concluded, satisfied with her story.

Bella looked at the picture, listening to R.E.'s words and after a moment, nodding. She believed Renesmee's lie about the picture; Bella thought Charlie would do something like that to remember his granddaughter and relate to the girl she thought was named R.E.

"Well…Renesmee would have been like you." Bella nodded, her heart breaking as she spoke the name of the daughter she had lost. She knew if she could cry she would have.

Renesmee was caught off guard. She did not expect her mother to be so open with her. "I…yeah. Charlie said that."

Bella nodded, again, staring at the picture in her hand, missing her daughter so terribly. "I miss her…all the time."

Renesmee was about to leave, but stopped upon hearing Bella's comment. "Who?"

"Renesmee…" Bella seemed to breathe out, her eyes still glued to the photo of her daughter and herself.

Renesmee remained silent, unsure why she was having such a hard time leaving the heartbroken vampire who had no clue her daughter was standing a few feet away from her.

"I miss everything about her…she was so beautiful." Bella continued to stare at the picture as she spoke of Renesmee. "She was such a good little girl…so lovable…I don't think I have ever loved someone as much as I love her."

"Not even Edward?" Renesmee found it hard to believe her mother's words, knowing how obsessed Bella was with her husband.

"No." Bella said, looking up at Renesmee, her eyes serious. "Not even Edward."

Renesmee nodded, becoming fidgety and yet still unable to leave.

"I even miss being a mother." Bella placed the picture down. "It is so funny…I never pictured myself having children…but when I got pregnant I couldn't see myself any other way…it didn't matter how young I was…" Her eyes drifted back to the photo. "I loved my daughter the second I knew she was inside of me…"

"Well…at least you have her memory." Renesmee said sharply, getting slightly annoyed with the fact that Bella claimed to miss her so much and yet could not see she was standing right in front of her.

Bella glanced up at Renesmee and nodded after a moment, assuming because she had opened up to the girl that she and R.E. had bonded, that maybe she could learn a little more about the girl who was living with Charlie. "Do you…remember your…family?"

Renesmee was taken back by Bella's question. "Who? Like my parents?"

Bella nodded.

Renesmee wanted to scream at Bella in that instance; she wanted to tell her mother that of course she remembered her. Instead, she worked to keep her temper under control and keep the conversation as casual as possible. "Uh…yeah…a little."

Bella nodded. "Carlisle said he found you when you were very small." She recalled the little information Carlisle had distributed to the Cullen family when they had first encountered the girl Bella knew as R.E.; Bella had no idea that all Carlisle had said had been a complete lie.

"He did." Renesmee nodded, going along with the story her grandfather had told her mother. "But I…still remember…a little…I don't really remember much but I can remember them…a little…their faces…voices…stuff like that." She shifted, crossing her arms tight over her chest, beginning to get uncomfortable with the conversation.

Bella did not seem to notice the girl's change in demeanor and continued. "Well…if they left you…maybe its better you don't remember much about them."

Renesmee's brow furrowed at the irony of Bella's statement, knowing Bella was actually badmouthing herself. "Yeah…I guess…"

Bella was silent for a moment, and then spoke again, her voice almost a whisper. "I am glad Charlie has you…I know he loves you…and he is the closest thing you have to family…"

"He _is_ my family." Renesmee cut her mother off, suddenly finding herself annoyed and assumed at the same time. She was assumed that saying Charlie was her family was the complete truth and annoyed that Bella could not see it.

Bella nodded, misinterpreting Renesmee's words, and assuming she was saying them because Charlie had been like a father to her, never once realizing that Charlie was actually the girl's grandfather. "Well…he is my family too…so…in a way, I guess that makes you and me…family." Bella looked away as she spoke the last word.

Renesmee felt her jaw clench and her fists tighten but she said nothing.

"And…you know…I was a mom at one point…" Bella smiled, not able to read the expression on Renesmee's face. "I could use the company…someone to look after…if you could use someone to be around." She smiled softly at Renesmee, thinking the two were sharing a moment.

Renesmee's brow furrowed in rage, and she felt her temper rising sky high. "_You_ lost _your _chance at being a mom a long time ago!" Renesmee stepped toward Bella. "I don't need a buddy…I don't need a babysitter…and I certainly don't need a mother! I have been doing fine without one this long!"

"I…I just…I didn't mean anything by it…I just want you and I to get along…" Bella stammered, shocked by the change in the girl's temper.

"Get out." Renesmee's voice was low now, but still not calm. "Get out and stay the hell away from me."

"R.E…" Bella started.

Renesmee closed her eyes as her mother used her stupid nickname, thinking it was her real name. It made Renesmee want to cry and the girl did not know why. She was so angry with the mother who could not remember her; she just wanted Bella to go before she broke down. She needed Bella out of the room, and she knew there was only one way to get Bella to leave. "You know why I don't want you around?" Her voice was steady now.

Bella mistook Renesmee's calm voice for the girl's willingness to calm down and open up to Bella. "No. Why?"

"Because…I hate everything you stand for. I hate the fact that you let me…someone like me…" Renesmee shook her head, correcting herself. "That you would let someone like me just wither away…your own daughter…she deserved so much better then you." Renesmee watched as her words seemed to crush Bella.

"I tried…to find her…" Bella said.

Renesmee snorted. "Seven years have passed…you look pretty moved on. Why don't you just face it? You don't care what happened to her."

"That's not true." Bella snapped back, knowing if she could she would have been crying. "Of course I cared…and how dare you tell me I did not! You don't know me or my daughter…"

Renesmee snorted at this comment, rolling her eyes. "If you only knew…"

"Edward and I went crazy looking for her! Then Carlisle…" Bella's voice faded as her eyes drifted somewhere else. "Then Carlisle came back from Italy…" Bella closed her eyes for a moment. "When he said he found her…I knew she was dead. I couldn't do anything about it then."

Renesmee wanted to cry at Bella's words and shake her mother, telling her to look deeper into her eyes and see who she really was. Part of her wanted to run into Bella's arms and tell her mother just how much she had missed her and that she was anything but dead, and yet the other part of her wanted to break Bella's jaw and send her mother far away.

"Just…go home." Renesmee said, her voice emotionless.

Bella just nodded after a moment, wondering how this R.E. girl always managed to hit a nerve in her. Suddenly, she found herself growing very angry that the girl would speak to her in such a manner. "Well…at least I tried." Bella pushed past Renesmee.

Renesmee did not move an inch as she heard Bella moved toward the stairs.

"Bella?" Charlie's voice filled the hallway. He had returned from work and was surprised to see Bella rushing out of Renemsee's room.

"I have to go." Bella blew past Charlie in an instant and was out the door and in her car in mere seconds.

Charlie stood stunned at the top of the stairs. He glanced toward Renesmee to see his granddaughter's back to him. "Nessie?"

Renesmee did not move. "What?"

"What…?" Charlie looked down the stairs and then back at Renesmee as he took a step toward the hybrid. "What happened?"

"She found the picture by my bed." Renesmee turned to Charlie. "You know…the one you put there to remind me of her?" Renesmee's voice was emotionless.

"Did she…ask…about it?" Charlie couldn't help but wonder if Renesmee had told Bella the truth. He wanted for his daughter to know her own daughter was still alive.

"Kinda." Renesmee still did not move. "I covered for it…then I told her she didn't care about her daughter…and that I hate everything she stands for."

Charlie was furious at what Renesmee was telling him and even more angry that her voice did not even crack. It was as if Renesmee was numb to the fact that she had just hurt Bella. Charlie moved forward, grabbing Renesmee by the arm and yanking her.

"What are you doing?" Renesmee jerked her arm away from Charlie in a swift motion.

"You can't talk to her like that! You may be angry at her…for something she had no control over…something that she didn't even know about, but you can't keep delebrately hurting her." Charlie told Renesmee.

"She hurt me!" Renesmee snapped suddenly.

Charlie's brow furrowed at the emotion in Renesmee's voice and wondered, for a second, if his granddaughter was actually more upset then she seemed. "She didn't do it intentionally…you hurt her on purpose."

"So?" Renesmee pouted like a seven year old.

"So…you are going to apologize." Charlie grabbed her arm again, leading her down the stairs, this time, Renesmee did not yank away. "She is still my daughter, and if you don't want to let her be your mom that's fine, but you are going to apologize to her for hurting her."

"Fine…" Renesmee rolled her eyes. "I'll do it at school."

"No." Charlie turned back to her, angry. "You will do it right now. I am taking you over to their house." He moved to the front door and opened it. "Go get in the car."

Renesmee went to argue, but could tell by the anger in Charlie's voice it probably wasn't a good idea, so she sighed, moving to his cruiser and climbing in as he got into the driver's seat, and sped off in the direction of the Cullen's house.

* * *

Aro stood at the window, glancing out to the countryside of Italy as Marcus and Caius stood behind him, both rather impatient.

"Have you decided yet?" Caius asked.

"About Jane?" Aro turned to face the other two vampires.

"Yes." Caius nodded.

"She has not gotten in contact with us." Marcus said simply, his voice flat.

"This I am aware of." Aro sighed. "Alec?!" He called out suddenly.

A moment later, Alec appeared in the room.

"Yes?" Alec asked.

"We have received no word from your sister." Aro stated. "Are you fairing the same?"

Alec nodded. "I am. I have not heard from her since she left."

"Then it is with sadness that we pursue her." Aro sighed. "We cannot allow her to do anything that would jeopardize our position with Renesmee Cullen."

"If Jane has not done that though…" Alec pressed, worried for his sister.

"Then she will not be punished." Aro said with certainly. "We must head to the states though. We cannot waste any more valuable time. I have waited far too to sink my teeth into Renesmee to have it all spoiled now."

"Then let us go now." Caius stood.

Aro nodded, knowing that preparations for their journey must begin promptly. His mind was made up, and he was ready to end Renesmee's life to secure his own strength and power.

* * *

Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle were running swiftly through the woods of Washington, hunting a pack of deer when suddenly Alice stopped short. Jasper immediately noticed and stopped as well, clearly able to see that Alice was having a vision.

"What did you see?" Jasper asked Alice.

Alice shook her head, her brows creased. "Carlisle?" She pushed past Jasper.

By this time, Carlisle and Esme had both stopped their hunt and were standing in front of Alice.

"Did you see something, Alice?" Esme asked.

"Yes." Alice nodded, glancing at Carlisle. "I saw the Volturi…"

Carlisle took a deep breath. "What?"

Alice nodded. "I saw them…Aro and Jane…their intentions were so confusing, it was hard to tell everything apart…they…they were coming here."

"For what?" Jasper asked.

"Renesmee." Alice glanced at Carlisle.

Carlisle felt himself go numb. He knew why the Volturi were coming and who exactly they were after before Alice needed to say it. He could not believe it. He had fought so hard to keep Renesmee safe and away from the Volturi and he now feared all of pain he had caused Bella, Edward, Renesmee, Charlie, and the rest f his family had been for nothing. He feared the Volturi would find Renesmee and kill her, like they had always planned.

"Why would they be after her?" Alice was confused, not understanding her vision or that R.E. and Renesmee were in fact the same person, and that Renesmee was very much alive. "They killed Renesmee…"

Carlisle said nothing, his mind swirling.

"Yes…they did." Esme jumped in, trying to keep the lie she and Carlisle had told for years to be able to continue. "Why would they be after her?" She glanced at Carlisle, her eyes pleading with him to think of something to say.

Carlisle could not think of a lie to tell, however. He knew his time was limited and that he needed to find Renesmee and get her to safety as fast as possible. "We have to get back to the house…_now_."

"But…why…" Alice started.

"Alice! Not now! Come…we need to move!" Carlisle was already one hundred yards away from them and never breaking stride. He knew now, it did not matter what the plans had been to keep Renesmee's existence a secret; no matter what, he needed to keep his granddaughter safe.


	11. I Have to Go Alone

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 10**

Bella made her way through the front door of the Cullen's, still upset with her encounter with the R.E. girl at Charlie's. She was in the living room faster than ever, and Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie who were all on the couch watching television could instantly tell that Bella was upset.

"Bella?" Edward questioned as he heard his wife stomp up the stairs and slam their bedroom door.

"She seems…mad." Emmett concluded about Bella.

"You think?" Edward rolled his eyes.

"You should go talk to her, Edward." Rosalie said instantly. For all the issues she had with Bella in the past, she now adored her sister-in-law.

Edward nodded, getting up from the coach and moving up the stairs to the bedroom he shared with Bella. He slowly opened the door to find Bella on the bed, her arms wrapped around her legs, which were pulled closely to her body. Edward could immediately tell she was tearlessly sobbing.

"Bella?" Edward spoke softly.

Bella glanced at her husband, but did not move an inch.

Edward's heart broke as he starred down at his immortally beautiful wife, wondering what could break her up so easily. "What happened?"

"R.E…." Bella started.

Edward rolled his eyes, sitting on the bed next to his wife. "I figured it had something to do with her." Although Edward was intrigued by the girl named, R.E., he understood her temper, and knew that for some odd reason, Bella seemed to get the brunt of it whenever she was around her. "What did she do?"

"She had a picture…" Bella started. "Of me…in her room."

"Why?" Edward suppressed a chuckle at the odd fact.

"Charlie gave it to her…to remind her she wasn't the only one…" Bella closed her eyes. "It was of me with Renesmee…"

"Oh." Edward's chuckle faded.

"And she said some horrible things…about me…about me being a mother…" Bella sobbed, her eyes dry.

Edward pulled Bella close to him, kissing her forehead. "Well, she doesn't know anything about you being a mother then…because you were…_are,_ you _are _the best mother I have ever seen."

"She has no right…" Bella continued.

"No." Edward cut Bella off. "She doesn't. So forget about her…forget about R.E….being close to Charlie has nothing to do with her, and if she can't see you for the kind, beautiful women you are then…who cares?"

"Edward…what she said…" Bella sobbed.

"She is wrong, Bella." Edward told his wife. "You…we both did everything we could for Renesmee…don't let some little half-vampire tell you different…" He pulled Bella close to him and she relaxed in his grasp.

Suddenly, however, Edward's grasp tightened on his wife as Carlisle's voice filled his head.

"_Edward…get everyone together for a family meeting…it is urgent."_ Carlisle's voice spoke.

Edward realized Carlisle was close and sighed, causing Bella to look up at him with golden eyes.

"What?" Bella asked.

"Carlisle wants us all downstairs…family meeting." Edward said simply, wondering what the meeting could possibly be about, and why Carlisle's voice had seemed to frantic in his head. Edward stood, effortlessly pulling Bella up and leading her now graceful vampire form down the stairs and into the living room where Rosalie and Emmett still sat.

* * *

Charlie pulled his cruiser onto the now familiar winding road that led to the Cullen's home as Renesmee sat extremely still in the seat next to him, her breathing almost non-existent to Charlie's ear.

"You can't keep hurting your mother's feelings like this." Charlie spoke of Bella to Renesmee.

"I know." Renesmee said, with little emotion in her voice. "You keep telling me that."

"Because she doesn't deserve any of it." Charlie told her.

Renesmee rolled her eyes and snorted at Charlie's comment, crossing her arms across her chest.

"She doesn't." Charlie narrowed his eyes at his granddaughter for a second. "You can keep playing the game that she didn't love you, but you know that's not true."

"Well…she didn't love me enough then…" Renesmee said. "Because she gave up _far_ too easily."

"She thought you were dead." Charlie told her. "What did you want from her? What was there to look for if she believed Carlisle's lie that you were dead?"

Renesmee glared at her grandfather. "My body." She turned away from Charlie, her eyes forward. "Didn't I deserve a proper burial?"

"Renesmee…please, okay?" Charlie rolled his eyes. "Why does everything have to be difficult with you?"

"Why can't you just admit Bella and Edward didn't give a crap about me? My parents didn't care if I was dead or alive or in a ditch somewhere!" Renesmee questioned.

"That's not true!" Charlie snapped. "They loved you! You know it and I know it! And you would be able to see that if you just told them the truth…"

"I am not telling them anything." Renesmee stated simply.

"But why not?" Charlie asked. "It would make this all so much easier…if they knew about you. You wouldn't have to become their forgiving daughter right away but I just think it would be better for you and your parents if you just told them…"

"Do you want to get rid of me that much, grandpa?" Renesmee looked at Charlie. "Because you don't need to pawn me off on parents who don't want me. I can just leave."

"Nes, you know it's nothing like that. I love you…you're my only grandchild…it's just…I love your mother too…and she is hurting because she thinks you are gone." Charlie told his granddaughter. "And I won't be here forever…if you are going to live for eternity, don't you think it makes sense to forgive your parents? One day they might be all you have."

"No." Renesmee shook her head simply. "I don't care…if I am all alone one day it would rather that then be with parents who doesn't even recognize me when I am standing in front of them."

"Fine. Then you apologize and go on grumbling around after this…but I am not going to throw my daughter out of my life because you are being difficult, so you better figure out a way to get along with your mother." Charlie spoke of Bella as she turned into the Cullen's driveway.

Renesmee realized they were only minutes from the Cullen's home and she would have to apologize to the mother who had forgotten her. Under any other circumstances, she would have never done so, but she realized now just how much it actually meant to Charlie, so she sucked up her pride and took a deep breath, preparing herself to apologize.

* * *

Jane made her way into the town of Cassleville, near Forks, and began snooping around. She was growing frustrated with her efforts of finding Renesmee and the Cullen's until a familiar scent filled her senses

"Renesmee!" Jane growled to herself, realizing the scent was that of the hybrid. She quickly took off in the direction of the scent, as it grew stronger with each step she took.

Before Jane knew it, she was staring up at a cute suburban home. She glanced at the mailbox to see the name **SWAN** written across it in bold black letters. She knew it was the home of Bella's father instantly, smelling a human scent mixed in with that of Renesmee's.

Jane quickly barged into the home, hoping to find Renesmee, but instead found it empty. She was a little disappointed, but decided she would wait for Renesmee and Charlie to return. She was prepared to wait all night if she needed to, as she made herself comfortable on a couch in the small living room.

* * *

Edward, Bella, Rosalie, and Emmett were all already in the living room by the time Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper entered the house.

Carlisle nodded to Edward. "Thanks for rounding everyone up."

"What's wrong?" Edward furrowed his eyebrows, easily able to see the distress on Carlisle's usually calm face.

"I had a vision." Alice answered Edward's question, and then slowly looked over to Bella, unsure of how to phrase her next sentences, knowing it would hurt Bella. "It was…of the Volturi…"

Bella's eyebrows screwed up, unsure why Alice was being so hesitant around her. "What about them?"

"They were after…Renesmee." Alice said, glancing away from Bella.

Edward could feel Bella shaking with fury. "What?"

"That's…ridiculous." Rosalie added quickly, slightly shocked by the news Alice had brought them.

"I know…" Alice shook her head. "It makes no sense…"

"No." Bella shook her head. "It doesn't…because Renesmee is…_dead_." Bella spoke the words as if they were poisoning her mouth.

Edward wrapped an arm around Bella, knowing she would soon breakdown as she always seemed to at the mention of their lost daughter. He then glanced at Carlisle. "Why would Alice have a vision of that?"

"Maybe it's a mistake?" Emmett offered. "Maybe Alice heard it wrong, or something?"

"I don't hear things wrong in my visions." Alice told Emmett. "I see the future as the path that the individual is on projects it, and right now the Volturi are after Renesmee…"

"But she is gone." Bella spoke softer now, her heart breaking as images of her beautiful daughter raced through her mind.

Carlisle could not take it any longer; he could not watch Bella break down at every mention of her daughter. He had watched a part of her and a part of Edward die when he lied to them, telling them Renesmee was forever gone, and he could not bear the burden of eternity with Bella being like this. Plus, he knew now that Renesmee was in fact in danger and would need their protection. He had only one option, he had to tell everyone that Renesmee was not dead, but in fact very much alive, and very much involved in their lives under the pseudo name of R.E. Masen.

"Well…maybe that isn't exactly the case…" Carlisle started but was cut off by a knock at the front door.

"Jasper, get the door?" Esme asked, but her eyes on Carlisle, knowing he was about to expose the truth about Renesmee which slightly shocked her. She understood Renesmee was in danger, but she didn't think Carlisle would let the rest of the Cullen's in on his lie now, not when it had gotten as far as it had.

"Sure." Jasper moved to the door, opening it quickly to reveal Charlie and Renesmee, standing on the porch.

"Can we come in?" Charlie asked.

Jasper looked back to Carlisle.

"Sure, Charlie…please…" Carlisle was relieved to see Renesmee behind Charlie as the pair entered the living room, because he knew she was safe, at least for now.

* * *

Aro, Marcus, Caius, and Alec all arrived in the Seattle Airport at night, allowing them to freely move around without anyone noticing how different they were. They took a limo, as Aro always traveled in style, and Alec drove, having killed the driver immediately upon getting into the limo. They arrived in Forks shortly afterwards to begin their search for Jane and Renesmee.

"Bella lived here once…" Aro stated as the limo pulled up to the old home of Charlie Swan.

"Looks rather empty." Caius noticed, seeing not a light on in the home, or a car in the driveway, or a blind in the window.

"Indeed." Aro nodded, opening the door to the limo and immediately being hit with a familiar scent. His lips curled up into a smile. "But someone we are looking for has been here…" He glanced toward Alec in the front.

"Jane." Alec nodded weakly, also recognizing the familiar scent.

"But she has gone from here." Marcus said simply, his voice rather dull. "So let us move on and find her to be done with all of this."

Aro nodded, closing his door. "Onward to the next town. Follow Jane's trail."

Alec nodded slowly and pulled the limo away from the Swan's old residence and into the direction of Cassleville, Washington.

* * *

Charlie entered the Cullen's home followed by a suckling Renesmee to find all of the Cullen's already in the living room.

"Did we interrupt something?" Charlie asked.

"Family meeting, actually." Carlisle smiled slightly, relieved to see Renesmee safe and almost happy that he would have to tell Edward and Bella their daughter was still alive. It would make things so much easier.

"Oh…well we will get out of your way then…R.E. just has something to say to Bella." Charlie yanked Renesmee forward by the collar of her black tee-shirt.

"I'm sorry…" Renesmee mumbled, digging her hands in her pockets and avoiding direct contact with Bella at all costs.

"It's fine…" Bella was still numb to the idea that the Volturi were after her dead daughter. The apology she was receiving from the girl she thought was named R.E. did not even register.

"Sorry…" Carlisle apologized for his family's oddly tense behavior. "We just have a few problems going on right now…"

"Oh." Charlie nodded.

"Alice had a vision." Esme told Charlie, glancing down at Renesmee. "Of the Volturi…"

"What?" Charlie's voice sounded more strained than normal. He knew exactly who the Volturi were and what they wanted. Carlisle had filled him in when he had dropped Renesmee off at his home seven years earlier.

"You know who they are?" Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…yeah…Carlisle filled me in…" Charlie motioned to Carlisle. "What…ah…what was the vision of?"

"Renesmee…" Bella seemed to whisper, her eyes glued to some far away object.

"What?" This time Renesmee's voice sounded much more stained and lively than ever before. The Volturi were after her.

"The vision was of _our_ daughter…" Edward wrapped an arm around the still shaken Bella. "Renesmee…"

"But she…" Renesmee tried to hide the panic in her eyes as she glanced toward Carlisle. "She's dead."

"Right…she is dead." Bella said slowly, turning her attention toward everyone in the room. "That's why this doesn't make any sense."

Carlisle, Esme, Charlie, and Renesmee all exchanged knowing glances. They knew the vision made perfect sense because Renesmee was not actually dead, but now she was in danger. The Volturi knew she was alive and they were coming for her.

"Maybe they are just confused…" Renesmee offered, although she could not hide her unease.

"Uh…Carlisle…would you mind if…R.E. and I spoke with you?" Charlie pointed to Carlisle's office.

"Of course…" Carlisle nodded, eager to get alone with Renesmee and Charlie, he motioned for the two to follow him into his office.

Charlie and Renesmee followed eagerly, leaving the rest of the Cullen's alone out in the living room.

"I just don't understand…" Bella wanted to cry as she sank into the couch. "They killed Renesmee…" She glanced up at Edward. "None of this makes any sense."

"I know." Edward nodded taking a seat next to his wife and gently rubbing her back. He was also very confused.

Everyone was confused, and Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice all congregated around Bella and Edward, feeling sorry for their brother and sister-in-law. Esme, on the other hand, was not confused, and took the moment to sneak off into Carlisle's office where Renesmee and Charlie were.

* * *

Alec drove into Cassleville, and Aro immediately sat up straighter as he inhaled the air from outside.

"What is it, Aro?" Marcus asked.

"Jane…her scent is rather strong." Aro smiled, pleased.

"And fresh." Caius agrees, also smelling the air. "She has been in this area rather recently."

"Very recently." Aro smiled, turning his attention to Alec. "You smell your sister, do you not?"

"I do." Alec nodded, although he wished he hadn't.

"Good…then follow her scent." Aro said, leaning back into his seat, a small smirk on his face.

Alec nodded, following his sisters trail through the winding mountain roads of the town of Cassleville, and unknowingly driving toward the new residence of Charlie Swan.

* * *

Carlisle, Renesmee, and Charlie were all standing around Carlisle's office when Esme made her way in, gently closing the door behind her. She could see the mix of worry, anger, and frustration written across Renesmee, Carlisle, and Charlie's faces.

"So this is bad." Esme said simply.

"Really bad." Renesmee nodded, agreeing with her grandmother.

"They obviously know Renesmee is alive." Carlisle sighed.

"Yeah, but how?" Charlie asked. "I mean…you said they were off her trail…"

"But maybe they weren't off of ours." Carlisle sighed. "A trip here or there, when Esme and I came to visit you, I am sure they didn't question…but being this close to Renesmee for so long…maybe they have been watching us and now their interest has been sparked."

"So what? You dragged them back after me?" Renesmee threw her arms out rolling her eyes. "After everything we have done to avoid this…moving and you dumping me on Charlie…" She pointed at Carlisle. "We are back at the same place we started at."

"Nobody dumped you on me." Charlie cut Renesmee off, not wanting her to feel that way for a second. She was so important to him; she was his granddaughter. "And I am sure we can figure this out. This can be fixed." He looked at Carlisle hopefully.

"The only way this can be fixed is if I get the hell out of here." Renesmee said. "That way the Volturi don't come here looking for me and everyone is safe."

"No." Carlisle shook his head. "That will never work."

"Why not?" Renesmee was almost annoyed with her grandfather.

"If they picked up your scent, they will track you. You will never be able to stop running." Carlisle explained.

"So what?" Renesmee asked. "If they catch me…they catch me."

"Sweetie…don't be silly." Esme told her granddaughter. "You are safer with us."

"No." Renesmee shook her head. "If I stay here no one is safe. Let them come for me…I can handle myself."

"No. Out of the question…" Charlie started.

"It's not your choice, Gramps." Renesmee looked at Charlie, seriously. "I will not put you…" She glanced around to Carlisle and Esme. "…any of you in danger."

"No one is in danger." Carlisle said. "We have kept you hidden this long…"

"Yeah, and its torn everyone apart, Grandpa Carlisle." Renesmee said. "My parents think I am dead…my aunt and uncles think I am dead…maybe it's just easier if it's true…"

"Renesmee…" Esme spoke softly to her granddaughter.

"No, Grandma." Renesmee said. "Maybe this is the end of the line for me…or maybe its not…maybe I can just keep running and they will leave me alone…or I lose them."

Everyone was silent for a moment, weighing Renesmee's words.

"Or we could just tell your parents who you are." Charlie suggested after a moment. "That way, you can stay and we can keep you safe…"

"And the whole family can be torn apart." Renesmee shook her head, glancing at Carlisle. "No. I won't let my parents hate you all for trying to keep me safe. You're a family, you deserve to stay one."

"You are our family." Esme pressed.

"No…" Renesmee shook her head. "I am not. The Renesmee you love…the one my parents and uncles and aunts remember…she is dead. Let them remember me the way I was, the way they loved me."

"What?" Charlie shook his head. "You are a brilliant girl, Nes. Your parents will love you no matter what…"

"It doesn't matter." Renesmee had made up her mind. "I am going."

"No, you're not." Charlie was being stern.

"I don't have a choice." Renesmee told Charlie. "Either I run, and maybe get killed or I stay here and we all get slaughtered. I want to go…it gives everyone the best chance."

"There are always other optioned, Renesmee." Carlisle said.

"I don't care." Renesmee had made up her mind. She was going to leave, and before anyone could stop her, she stormed out of Carlisle's office and straight into the living room, where she glanced at the parents, aunts, and uncles who she knew she would never see again, who she knew did not recognize her, before she took off out of the house.

Esme, Carlisle, and Charlie ran out into the living room the second after Renesmee left.

"Where is she?" Charlie asked.

"Who? R.E?" Emmett asked.

"Yes." Charlie said, his jaw clenched.

"She just ran out…" Edward said, standing from his seat next to Bella, whom he was still trying to comfort through her confusion.

"Damn it." Charlie rolled his eyes and turned back to Carlisle. "You need to stop her."

"Stop her? Alice raised an eyebrow. "What is going on?"

"R.E. took off." Esme said, trying to remain calm.

"Great…" Bella snorted. "In the middle of all of this…"

"There is a good chance the Volturi would come for her." Carlisle said. "Because she was…so much _like_ Renesmee…especially if she is around us." He glanced to Charlie, indicating he could not follow their granddaughter. Carlisle now realized the Renesmee may have made the best choice by taking off. "She is safer away from here…until we can sort this all out."

Charlie just stood there, soaking Carlisle words in and realizing that they were starting to make sense. Although he had not wanted Renesmee to leave, he realized that maybe she had been right, maybe she would be safer away from them all.

* * *

After a few hours of sitting in Charlie and Renesmee's house, Jane was growing restless. She stood from her chair in the living room, and began pacing.

Part of Jane wanted to hunt Renesmee down, rip her apart in front of Bella, but the other half of her knew it was wiser to wait for Renesmee to return.

Jane paced a few more seconds and then stopped, a small smile creeping across her face. She knew she could wait no longer, as the scent of Renesmee hung all around her. She quickly took off our the door, ready to stalk down the young hybrid.

Jane ran for what seemed like mere seconds, staying on Renesmee's trail as best she could, when suddenly she came to a halting stop, her eyes resting on a beautiful sight in front of her.

Jane moved slowly toward the house that stood on top of the hill, and as she passed the mailbox, she read it out loud. "Cullen."

Jane grinned to herself, knowing she was now standing at the base of the Cullen's driveway, and it would only be a matter of time before she could watch Bella whither in pain as she slowly and strategically took Renesmee's life.

* * *

Renesmee ran toward the familiar red house on the familiar reservation, knowing she did not have much time before she really needed to get moving. She had debating even going to Jacob's, but she knew she offered him an explanation for why she was leaving, and she knew she needed his help.

Renesmee quickly knocked on the door and within a few seconds, Jacob answered. "Nes?" Jacob was happy to see his imprint.

"Can I come in?" Renesmee asked, although she was already pushing her way into the house.

"Uh…sure." Jacob nodded, closing the door behind her, and realizing just how uptight Renesmee seemed.

"Nessie, are you okay?" Jacob asked.

Renesmee took a deep breath and shook her head. "Uh…no."

Jacob's eyebrow's drew close together. "What…what's wrong?"

Renesmee gave a nervous laugh before running her hands through her blonde hair. "Well…that is certainly not the easiest question to answer…" She looked away from the werewolf she loved.

"Renesmee…" Jacob took a step toward her.

Renesmee countered Jacob's step, knowing that there was a good chance she would break down in his arms if he touched her. She did not want to leave him, she loved him. "Jacob, I have to leave."

"What?" Jacob seemed confused. "But you just got here…"

"No. Not just here…I have to leave Cassleville." Renesmee said quickly, not making eye contact with him.

"What? Why?" Jacob seemed frantic.

"The Volturi…" Renesmee sighed. "Alice had a vision of them…they were after Renesmee…or I guess I mean…they are after me. I can't stay here, it's not safe…and if I do there is a good chance everyone will know about me…"

"So what?" Jacob seemed angry. "Who cares if your parents know about you or not? Who cares at this point? All that should matter is keeping you safe."

"This will keep me safe." Renesmee said. "And I have gotten this far without my parents knowing me…I don't want them to know me now because it's like I need their help. I don't need anyone's help…I'll be fine."

Jacob thought for a moment and then looked up. "Then let me come with you. You will be safer with me…"

"No." Renesmee shook her head fiercely. More than anything, she wanted Jacob to come, but she couldn't risk his safety. She knew the Volturi were strong and she knew that if they wanted her dead, they would take out anyone who got in their way. "I want to do this alone. I don't need….you…to come. I don't want you…to come." Renesmee chocked on her words.

"Oh." Jacob said simply. He was crushed, he did not know how else to respond.

"Plus…someone needs to keep an eye on Charlie." Renesmee added lightly.

"Right." Jacob nodded. He would do whatever it would take to keep Charlie safe.

"Jake…" Renesmee stepped forward, cupping his cheek in her hand. "I love you. I will _always _love you. But I need to do this. I have to go...alone."

"What if something happens to you?" Jacob seemed to whisper.

"_Nothing _will keep me from you." Renesmee assured him. "I will be back, as soon as I can, and then I won't leave again. Not ever."

Jacob sighed, and then pulled Renesmee close to him, kissing her as if their lives depended on it. He did not know when he would get to see her beautiful face again or touch her precious lips, so he soaked in the moment, trying to memorize every detail of that kiss.

Finally, Renesmee pulled away, her eyes on the verge of tears. "I have to go."

Jacob nodded. "I know."

"Charlie…" Renesmee started.

"I will keep an eye on him." Jacob assured her.

"Thanks." Renesmee gave him a small smile.

Jacob nodded as he watched Renesmee turn her back to him. "Renesmee?"

"Yeah?" Renesmee swirled back around to face Jacob.

"I love you." Jacob told her.

Renesmee smiled wider. "I love you." And with that she walked out the door and darted toward the woods.


	12. Aro Knows All

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 11**

Renesmee had been running for what seemed like ever. She was already close to the Canadian border and was grateful for her vampire speed.

There had been so many times along the run that Renesmee wanted to stop and turn around and run back home to Charlie and Jacob, but she knew she couldn't.

"I have to keep Charlie safe." She repeated to herself out loud, motivating herself to keep running north.

Renesmee knew that this was the only way to keep everyone she cared about safe. If the Volturi came for her, they would leave everyone in Cassleville alone. The truth was, Renesmee was not just concerned with Charlie and Jacob's safety, but she was also concerned with all of the Cullen's. Whether she was willing to admit it or not, she knew they were her family and she cared about that, every single one of them.

* * *

Charlie stood with Carlisle, Esme, Bella, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett in the Cullen's living room. Renesmee had bolted just an hour earlier, and yet not much had been said between that time. Charlie felt like he had been standing there forever, but to the vampires around him, time was irrelevant.

Finally, Bella spoke. "So, the Volturi are going after R.E. now?"

"It is quite possible they got who they thought was Renesmee and who is actually R.E. mixed up." Carlisle said, although he knew they were both one in the same.

Edward was annoyed, he could not read Carlisle, Esme, or Charlie's thoughts because they were all so mixed up, but he could tell the three were hiding something. "But you said Renemsee was dead…that they killed her. You saw her body." Edward accused.

"I saw a body." Carlisle was now changing the lie he had told for years.

"So what? Now Renesmee might not actually be dead?" Bella was frantic.

"She is dead." Carlisle said with certainty. "I…I saw her body…doesn't mean the Volturi killed her like I thought."

"You just said you saw _a body_…" Edward narrowed his eyes.

"It's irrelevant." Charlie stepped in. "Renesmee is dead, and right now R.E. is off somewhere alone and probably being hunted after…" He turned to face Esme and Carlisle.

"We know she is safe, Charlie." Esme said. "Remember? She is probably safer away from us then with us." She recalled what Renesmee had said earlier.

"It still makes no sense." Alice said. "I thought they wanted Renesmee because she was Edward and Bella's…"

"No…they wanted her because she is…was a hybrid." Carlisle corrected himself quickly. "It was all about her blood."

"So then R.E.'s blood is the same." Emmett cracked his knuckles.

"Yes. Similar." Carlisle nodded, knowing in fact that the two bloods were exactly the same, because it was the same person.

"So then we better step it up and kick these Volturi's back to Italy." Emmett grinned, always looking for a fight.

"This is not our fight, Emmett." Jasper said. "If they are after R.E. we should not be involved."

"Like hell we shouldn't." Charlie was angry. "I know she took off but there has to be ways to divert them from her."

"There is and we will figure it out." Carlisle turned to his family. "This_ is_ our fight. R.E. is in need of protection. We will help her."

"She has been nothing but a nuisance…" Rosalie snorted.

"Carlisle is right." Bella shocked everyone. "R.E….deserves to be protected…in all the ways we couldn't protect Renesmee…" He voice ended in a whisper.

Edward put an arm around his wife, comforting her.

Bella's sad face broke Charlie's heart and half of him wanted to tell her Renesmee was not dead, but the other half knew that would only lead to more heartbreak.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Jasper, go see who that is?" Carlisle asked.

Jasper nodded, moving swiftly to the door and tossing it opened, immediately taking a step back when he saw who was on the front steps. "Jane…" He whispered.

Jane grinned, stepping gracefully into the Cullen's living room to be met with looks of surprise and dread. She then noticed Charlie in the corner and smiled, knowing Renesmee could not be too far away.

* * *

Alec pulled the limo down the small road in the town of Cassleville. Jane's scent was strong there, mixed with other vampire smells. Suddenly, Alec felt a jerk on his shoulder and turned to see Aro squeezing him tightly.

"Stop here, Alec." Aro ordered calmly, a grin on his face.

"What is it?" Marcus asked, almost bored from his seat next to Aro.

Aro continued to smile and pointed up to the home in which they were stopped at, allowing everyone to read the name on the mailbox.

"Swan." Caius read, started to grin now, realizing they were on the right trail of finding Renesmee and the rest of the Cullen's. "And the scent of humans…and Jane are fresh."

"And something else." Aro added. "A…hybrid."

"Renesmee." Marcus nodded, a little less bored.

"Continue to follow the scent, Alec." Aro pointed up the road, where Jane and Renesmee's scents were both even stronger than they were at the house.

Alec nodded, putting the limo back into drive and moving down the residential street, continuing to track his sister as well as the child of Edward and Bella Cullen.

* * *

Jacob moved swiftly down to Sam's house. He knew Renesmee was probably long gone by now and that he had to keep his promise. He would keep Charlie safe no matter what. He made it to Sam's house and found Sam, Paul, and Leah sitting at the table.

"We have a problem." Jacob said.

"What?" Sam could tell Jacob's demeanor was anything but calm.

"The Volturi…they are back and looking for Nessie." Jacob said.

"What?" Leah was standing.

Jacob nodded. "Renesmee took off…she figured the Volturi were tracking the Cullen's and she would be safer on her own." Jacob looked away for a minute, already missing his imprint. "She uh….she asked us to keep an eye on Charlie, make sure he is safe."

"Well then, what the hell are we waiting for?" Paul asked, always ready for a fight.

Jacob nodded. "I think Charlie is with the Cullen's right now…"

"Well, that seems safe." Leah rolled her eyes. "Why would Renesmee leave him there?"

"He is safer with them then alone." Sam said. "Until we can get to him and protect him."

"Do you really think the Volturi would go after Charlie though?" Paul asked. "He is just a human."

"He is close to Renesmee." Jacob said simply. "They know that…and if they want her they will go any route necessary to get to her."

Sam nodded. "We should get moving."

"Yeah." Jacob nodded, turning to walk out of the house and catch his breath as the rest of the pack members followed him. It was as if all the air from his lungs had evaporated the second Renesmee left. He only prayed he would get to hold her one more time.

* * *

Carlisle stepped forward, toward Jane so that he could put himself between Charlie and the furious female visitor. He smiled casually at Jane. "Jane? What do we owe this pleasant visit?"

"You know why I am here." Jane spoke very refined.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at Jane, but said nothing.

Jane rolled her eyes. And stepped farther into the room. "I am looking for her…" She glared at Carlisle. "And I will find _her_…"

"Who?" Carlisle played dumb.

"You're precious Renesmee…" Jane grinned and then turned to look at Charlie. "I am sure she is nearby."

"Renesmee is dead." Esme spoke up, knowing it was important now more than ever that she, Carlisle, and Charlie stuck to the original lie about Renesmee in front of the rest the Cullen's. She knew, if her children knew that they had been lied to for seven years, things could call apart very quickly and then Renesmee would be in real danger.

"Like I am going to believe that one." Jane snorted. "I can smell her all over this place." Jane's eyes narrowed at Charlie.

"What you are smelling is not Renesmee, I assure you." Carlisle stepped forward. "You know that."

"What I am smelling is exactly Renesmee." Jane shot back.

"Why are you doing this?" Bella spoke up for the first time. "Why are you acting like she is still alive?" Bella knew, if she could cry, she would. "Why can't you just leave it alone? Don't you think it hurts enough to know my baby is gone?"

Jane turned to look at Bella. "Because she is…and I intend to end her existence…ever so slowly."

"You already have." Bella snapped.

Jane look confused. "What?"

"You killed her!" Bella shouted.

Jane shook her head. "Not yet."

Edward began to read Jane's thoughts, and realized she had no knowledge of Renesmee's death. "You did not kill her…"

"Renesmee is alive and well…stop toying with me." Jane said.

"The Volturi killed her." Carlisle spoke up, able to tell Edward was reading Jane's thoughts and her lack of knowledge of the lie Carlisle had told about Renesmee dying. "Maybe you not specifically…but they are responsible for her death."

"If we killed her, why would we be tracking her?" Jane shot back.

"You should leave." Carlisle said calmly. "Now."

Jane glared around the room and then nodded, knowing Renesmee was not there; her scent was too weak. "I will leave…but I _will_ find Renesmee…and she will die ever so slowly when I do. Bone by bone…I plan to break her into pieces." She grinned and glared at Charlie. "Doesn't that sound lovely?"

"Go to hell." Charlie growled, not liking the threats being made about Renesmee.

"Excuse me, human?" Jane turned back to Charlie, and was instantly holding him by the throat.

Carlisle could kick himself, he had let his guard down for two seconds and now Charlie was being held in the air, gasping for air.

"Let him go!" Bella screamed, worried for her father's safety as she watched him struggle to breath, knowing Jane could snap his neck if she wanted to.

Jane looked to see the horror in Bella's golden eyes and grinned widely, loving the feeling of knowing she was causing Bella pain. It was short lived though, as the scent of dog filled her nostrils and glass flew all around her. Jane was flat on the floor in an instant as Jacob towered over her.

Sam, Paul, and Leah were climbing through the window Jacob had broken seconds later to find Charlie in a heap on the floor, his throat badly bruised from what they could tell and broken glass up and down his arms.

"Get out." Jacob growled at Jane as she stood.

"Come now, dog." Jane grinned. "Do you truly think you could kill me…or protect _her_?" Jane spoke of Renesmee. "I will find her."

"But not tonight." Aro's voice filled the Cullen's living room as he, Alec, Marcus, and Caius all walked through the partly opened front door.

"How many more of you are coming?" Emmett threw his hands up as the rest of the Cullen's got in a defensive stance. They would let no more Volturi enter their home.

Aro moved forward, toward Carlisle, rather slowly. "Carlisle…it is always good to see an old friend."

"Aro." Carlisle nodded, straightening up.

"Jane…please join your brother." Aro motioned to Alec.

Jane stood her ground, knowing she would be in trouble either way.

"Come now, Jane." Marcus spoke up. "No reason to create more problems."

Jane nodded after a moment and moved toward Alec, who was standing next to Caius.

"You're home is beautiful, Carlisle." Aro smiled, and then looked over Carlisle's shoulder to see Jacob, Sam, Paul, and Leah. "Even with the unwelcomed guests."

"The only ones who are unwelcome are you." Rosalie spoke up.

Aro turned to the blonde beauty. "Such wit…but such stupidity." Aro took a step toward Rosalie.

"Don't even try." Carlisle put a hand on Aro's chest, knowing the older vampire wanted to rip Rosalie's head off.

Aro, however, took the opportunity to grab Carlisle's hand, and in an instant knew everything about Renesmee, including the lie that Carlisle had told to keep Renesmee's existence a secret. Aro smiled after a moment and let go of Carlisle's hands. "The things one does for family…"

Carlisle's eyes grew wide. He knew that Aro now knew everything that had to do with Renesmee. He could not speak, he had a feeling everything he, Esme, and Charlie had worked so hard to protect was about to be ended.

"Relax, old friend…" Aro patted Carlisle's shoulders. "We will find her…but for now we will leave." Aro glanced over at Charlie, whose face was turning blue. "You have bigger things to deal with."

And with that, Aro, Marcus, Caius, Jane, and Alec were gone.

"Carlisle?" Sam spoke up, noticing how Charlie was still seriously gasping for air.

Carlisle turned and could see the color draining from Charlie's face. He was at the human's side in a second flat, checking Charlie over. "Damn it."

"What is it?" Bella was at her father's side now too.

"His windpipe." Carlisle glanced around. "Jane crushed it."

"What?" Bella was frantic.

Edward was at Bella's side in a moment. "He will be fine, Bella. Carlisle will take care of him." Edward glanced up, his eyes pleading with Carlisle's. He knew something else, regarding Renesmee's death, was not right, but Edward also knew that could wait. Right now, Charlie needed to be saved. Edward would not watch Bella lose another family member she loved.

* * *

Renesmee was near the Canadian border by now. She had run, as fast as she could, which was pretty fast. She had inherited that from Edward, she could run for days at abnormal speeds. That was why every sports team in high school had wanted her, for her speed.

As she reached the boarder, something inside Renesmee made her stop. She felt excruciating pain deep within in soul. She was overwhelmed. It was as if something terrible had happened to someone she loved. It was as if someone she cared about was hurt.

Suddenly, she straightened up, the color draining from her face. She knew something bad had happened at home. She knew something bad at happened to. .."Charlie…" Renesmee breathed his name, and worry filled her body at the thought of her grandfather being hurt. She quickly turned on her heel and sprinted back toward Cassleville, no longer carrying if the Volturi could find her. Charlie was her only concern. If he didn't live none of it matter anymore.


	13. Who Responded to the Call for Renesmee

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 12**

Renesmee raced toward Cassleville, knowing she only had a few more miles before she reached the Cullen's home. She had a feeling something had happened to Charlie, and that was all she was focused on. She no longer cared about her own safety or about the Volturi.

As she ran, she could see the Cullen's home in the distance and felt both a sense of relief and dread. She was relieved because she knew once she got there she would have some answers. She was dreading her own arrival though; because she had a feeling she would not like the answers she received.

After a few more minutes, Renesmee made it to the Cullen home and immediately her heart sank as she saw the broken window. She rushed toward the house.

"Charlie? Carlisle?" Renesmee called out, busting through the door to find the house completely empty and the living room torn apart.

"Damn it!" Renesmee muttered to herself, and then took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of Charlie before tracking the freshest trail out of the house. She was semi relieved because his fresh trail was mixed with the scent of Carlisle, but Renesmee knew she still needed to find Charlie, to know he was safe.

* * *

Bella, Edward, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett stood on one side of the hospital hall while Jacob, Leah, Sam, and Paul stood on the other. They were all outside of Charlie's operating room, where Carlisle was inside, diligently working on Charlie's collapsed windpipe.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Carlisle stepped out.

"Carlisle." Bella moved toward her father-in-law with Edward a step behind her, one hand on the small of her back. "Is he okay? Is my dad okay?"

"We are doing all we can, Bella." Carlisle said. "Charlie is a strong man…but he is getting older and his windpipe is severely damaged. The next twenty-four hours are going to be crucial."

"Then what?" Jacob stepped forward, feeling responsible for Charlie being in the hospital. He had promised Renesmee he would keep Charlie safe, and he had failed. "If he makes it through the next day he will be okay?"

Carlisle sighed. "I can't say for certain of anything. I just know he is a fighter, and he is fighting. I should get back in there." He turned and walked back into Charlie's room.

Once Carlisle left, Bella felt herself almost fainting into Edward, who caught her and sat her down on a chair in the hall. She felt as if she had been punched in the stomach several times.

"Bella?" Edward's velvet voice was full of concern.

"He is going to be fine." Bella said softly, not glancing at her husband. "Charlie can't die."

"He is fighting, sweetheart." Esme ran a hand through Bella's long brown locks. "He is doing the best he can."

Jacob looked away from Bella, not wanting to see her in pain, because her expression only reminded him of Renesmee. "I need to go find R.E." He said suddenly.

"No." Sam put a hand on Jacob's chest. "You can't do that."

"She has a right to know what's going on." Jacob said.

"Yeah…because she put him here." Alice said swiftly. She had been quiet for most of the debacle with the Volturi, but she deeply cared for Charlie, and she blamed the R.E. girl for getting him caught up in his mess.

"This has nothing to do with her." Jacob snapped.

"It has everything to do with her." Alice retorted. "If she hadn't gone near Charlie, none of this would have happened."

"Oh...and a small child has a choice where she gets dropped off to live by Carlisle." Jacob reminded Alice of the story Carlisle had told them of 'R.E' as he stepped toward Alice.

"Well, maybe the only fault there is that Carlisle is a nice guy…he should have left her to die like she was supposed to." Rosalie chimed in with Alice.

Jacob growled, taking a step toward Rosalie which only caused Emmett to growl and step toward him.

"Hey now!" Leah stepped in, holding Jacob back. "Fighting isn't going to fix anything." She glanced over at the Cullen's. "We are all on the same side her."

"Well then let me go find Ren…R.E." Jacob said swiftly.

"You can't do that, Jacob." Sam said again. "She is safe now…away from her. You can't drag her back here."

"It will only bring the Volturi back here." Jasper added to Sam's comment.

"So? Let them come." Paul sneered. "We could use a good fight."

"Finally, someone is making sense." Emmett grinned at Paul, knowing he and the werewolf had a similar demeanor when it came to fighting.

"We don't need to drag them any closer to us, Emmett." Edward glanced up at his brother, but continued to squat down in front of Bella, both hands on her visibly shaking shoulders.

"Going to get R.E. will only bring more danger to her." Sam said to Jacob. "Then Charlie's death would have been for nothing." Sam had already accepted that Charlie was more than likely going to die. He could see it in Carlisle's eyes when the doctor had come out of the room, for once, Carlisle was not sure he could save the life he wanted to.

Sam's comment caused Bella to glance up, anger in her eyes.

"Charlie is not going to die." Bella told Sam. "So don't start burying him already."

Sam looked away as Edward glared up at the wolf as well, mad he would say such things in front of his visibly upset wife. "Why doesn't everyone just stay quiet for a bit?"

Everyone seemed to agree with Edward as the rest of the Cullen's again became statues against the wall of the hospital and the wolf pack also went back to their respective spot on the wall, including Jacob, who knew that Sam was right; going to find Renesmee would only put her in more danger.

* * *

Jane sat across the small hotel room from Aro as Alec, Cauis, and Marcus stood behind Aro. The members of the Volturi had decided to set up camp in Cassleville, waiting for Renesmee to return, and had picked the nicest hotel in the area, although it was still very inelegant for their standards.

"You do realize how stupid you were, Jane. Correct?" Aro asked after a long moment of silence.

Jane nodded slowly. "I had my reasons for coming, and although it was against your wishes I…"

"You had no reason to come." Aro cut her off. "Wanting to see Bella Cullen in pain does not give you any reason to practically ruin our chances of finding that child and killing her."

Jane nodded. "But now we know where Renesmee is."

"No. We don't." Caius spoke up. "She seems to have run off…once she had gotten wind you were here."

"She will be back…her family…" Jane started.

"Ahh…now there is the first problem." Aro grinned. "You see, Jane…" Aro then looked around, indicating he was talking to everyone else as well. "I read Carlisle's thoughts and memories and he told his family a little story…a fib…about Renesmee. You see, in order to keep us from tracking her, Carlisle sent her off to live with Bella's human father years ago. He then told the rest of the Cullen's that she had been kidnapped and then killed by us…"

"Why would he do something like that?" Alec asked.

"He thought he was keeping Renesmee safe…" Marcus deducted. "Because he knew we would track the Cullen's to get to her."

"Precisely…" Aro nodded. "And Carlisle's plan almost worked, until now…He had no intentions of seeing Renesmee again, but it seems fate had other plans."

"Well this explains why Bella thought Renesmee was dead." Jane realized.

Aro nodded. "And do you see why your plan was stupid now, Jane? You could cause Bella no pain, because she thinks her child is already dead."

"So what do we do now?" Alec asked, glad Aro was not nearly as mad at Jane as he thought he would be.

"We wait." Aro said. "Renesmee will return for her human grandfather eventually…and this lie that Carlisle has been telling will begin to unravel now that Bella's father is so close to death and once that happens, chaos will infest the Cullen's and Renesmee will no longer have the protection she needs in order to stay away from us."

Marcus, Caius, Alec, and Jane all nodded, showing they agreed with Aro although none of them had any choice in the matter. They knew once Aro wanted something, they all had to follow his wishes, and he wanted Renesmee Cullen's blood, so they would wait for as long as it took to get that blood.

* * *

Carlisle sighed as he watched the nurse leave Charlie's room, leaving him alone with only Bella's father and the beeping of the machines monitoring Charlie's heart. They had done all they could to repair the damage Jane had done to Charlie, but Carlisle knew it was far worse than anyone thought. He was not exactly sure how much time Charlie had left.

Carlisle moved to the side of Charlie's bed, starring down at his in-law. He shook his head, knowing Charlie was still unconscious but feeling as though he had to speak to the man.

"I owe you so much, Charlie." Carlisle said softly, knowing Charlie couldn't hear him. "You protected Renesmee and helped her grow into an incredible young woman…I am sorry that we brought all of this onto you two, but if I never get to say it to you again, you have to know I am forever grateful. You kept your granddaughter…my granddaughter safe, and happy." Carlisle sighed. "Thank you." He added before turning away from Charlie's lifeless body and moving toward the door and into the hall of the hospital where he found all of the Cullen's on one wall and the members of the wolf pack against the opposite, just as they had been hours earlier.

Once Carlisle was out in the hall, all eyes were on him.

"How is he?" Bella asked instantly, standing from the seat she had been sitting in.

Edward too, was standing now, one hand on the small of Bella's back as if offering his immortal wife physical support, if it was needed.

"He is stabilizing…you can go in and see him if you would like." Carlisle said.

Bella nodded feverishly and grabbed Edward's hand, pulling him into Charlie's room.

Carlisle motioned for Esme to follow him and they too went into Charlie's room, but everyone else remained in the hallway.

"I could feel it leaking off of Carlisle…his emotions are so jumbled…he feels as though he failed." Jasper said, after a moment.

"So things don't look to good for Charlie then?" Leah concluded.

Jasper shook his head, sadly.

"Well then we better get back at the Volturi for doing this." Paul sneered.

"Big time." Emmett cracked his knuckles. He was always ready for a fight, and whenever the opportunity arose he was the first one running into battle. In the back of his mind, he hoped they would be battling it out with the Volturi as soon as possible.

* * *

Bella stepped quietly into Charlie's room, with Edward holding her hand, to find her father in bed, hooked up to dozens of machines. She looked away, she had always hated hospitals.

Edward squeezed Bella's shoulder gently, whispering in her ear. "We don't have to stay in here if you don't want to."

"I want to." Bella looked up at her husband. She could not leave her father's side. She then turned to Carlisle who had just walked in with Esme, closing the door behind them.

"It looks kind of bad, Carlisle." Bella motioned to Charlie.

Carlisle looked away, nodding. "We did all we could, Bella."

"I know." Bella nodded to Carlisle. "And I am grateful…I just wish it had never happened. That R.E…."

"Don't blame her for this, sweetie." Esme spoke softly, knowing Bella had no clue she was pinning Charlie's possible untimely death on her own daughter.

Suddenly, Charlie began to stir. "Renesmee…" Charlie's voice was raw and raspy, and nothing more than a whisper, but all four vampires heard it clear as day.

Immediately, Bella was at her father's side, taking his big hand in hers. She felt the tears that would never fall build up in her body. Her father was calling for her dead daughter, which meant only one thing. "He's dying…" Bella spoke softly.

Edward was behind Bella, rubbing her shoulders. "Bella…"

"He sees Renesmee." Bella smiled sadly up at Edward. "He sees our baby girl."

Carlisle chocked back a sigh, knowing that Charlie was probably dying; however, he was not seeing Renesmee because she was still alive. If anything, he was calling to see his grandchild because she had been the only stable person in his life for seven years. However, Carlisle knew he could not tell Bella or Edward that.

Bella turned back to her father. "Daddy…tell her we love her, that we have always loved her." She leaned closer, kissing Charlie. "And know that I always loved you."

"Renesmee!" Charlie chocked out one more time, his eyes opening slightly.

* * *

Renesmee sprinted through the hospital doors and down the hall. She had tracked Charlie's scent all the way there, and was now full of fear, knowing that hospital's rarely led to anything good. As she slammed through the double doors she found Jacob, Sam, Paul, and Leah against one wall and Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett against the other.

"Where is he?" Renesmee demanded, looking for Charlie.

"You're here!" Jacob ran up to his imprinting, pulling her close and kissing her like he had never kissed her before.

After the kiss, Renemsee pulled away, slightly calmer. "Where is he?"

"Charlie is in there." Alice pointed to his room. "But Bella and Edward are in there…"

"I don't care." Renesmee pushed past Jacob, toward the door.

"How did you find us here?" Sam asked, curiously.

"I followed the scent." Renesmee said, and then stopped before pushing the door opened. "What happened?"

"The Volturi…they were looking for my niece…or confused that beautiful girl with the likes of you." Rosalie snapped. She, like Bella, hated when people compared her adorable and dead niece, Renesmee, to this barbaric R.E. girl.

"One of them…crushed Charlie's windpipe." Leah added, looking away from Renesmee.

Renesmee's eyes grew wide, and then she pushed through the hospital doors and into Charlie's room. All four pairs of vampire eyes turned to her when she entered.

"Get out!" Bella snapped at Renesmee not knowing it was her daughter. "His family belongs with him now…not you."

"I..." Renesmee started, but then looked away, deciding to say nothing, knowing Bella, her mother, would never understand.

"Bella…" Esme tried to calm her.

"Get out!" Bella snapped again, almost ready to charge at Renesmee, her anger growing.

Edward grabbed Bella by her shoulders, never once having seen her to angry. "Bella…calm down."

"Renesmee?" Charlie's voice struggled with each syllable.

And the second Bella heard Charlie's voice, she was calm, and turned back to him. "Daddy…go with her…" Bella truly thought he was dying, and with Renesmee, who she also thought was dead.

"Nes?" Charlie called out again, struggling to get the name out, but positive his granddaughter was around. It was nothing more than a gut feeling, but he and Renesmee had grown so close over the past few years.

Renesmee struggled, not knowing what to say or do, but in the end, she knew Charlie was dying, and she needed to be with her grandfather. She took a step forward, pushing past Bella. "I am right here Gramps!" Renesmee grabbed Charlie's hand. "Grandpa I'm so sorry…" Renesmee feel to her knees, her eyes swelling with tears. "I should have stayed…I shouldn't have run…it was my job to protect you."

"Nessie…" Charlie squeezed his granddaughter's hand again, his eyes shutting.

"I'm not going anywhere, gramps, I am right here." Renesmee repeated herself.

Bella and Edward had both stepped back near Carlisle and Esme, shocked at the scene in front of them and who had responded to the call for Renesmee.


	14. Gains and Losses

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 13**

Bella and Edward stood, starring at the child in front of them who was holding on to Charlie and trying to make sense of the fact that she had responded to Charlie's call for their supposedly dead daughter.

Suddenly, Carlisle's wall of lies in his mind broke down as he watched Renesmee and felt his heart break for his grandchild. His lies, Renesmee's real life, how Charlie had become involved, everything Carlisle had kept hidden from Edward for so long was now out in the open.

In an instant, Edward read Carlisle's thoughts and new everything. He knew the girl he had thought was named R.E. that was in front of him now, was in fact his daughter, his Renesmee. She had never died, Carlisle had lied and allowed both he and Bella to hurt for so long. More than anything, Edward was mad that Carlisle had caused Bella such pain.

"You son of a bitch!" Edward turned, grabbing Carlisle by the collar.

Carlisle did nothing to stop Edward; he knew he deserved whatever wrath his son had. He knew Edward knew the truth now.

Renesmee turned, her eyes pleading with Esme to get the commotion out of the room. She wanted to keep Charlie as calm as possible.

"Not in here, Edward." Esme pushed Edward and Carlisle toward the door and out into the hall, where she and Bella followed.

"Edward, what is going on?" Bella asked when they were in the hall.

"Ask Carlisle!" Edward pushed his father again. "Ask him!"

Emmett rose to calm Edward down as Jacob also moved forward.

"No." Carlisle motioned to Emmett and Jacob to stop. "I deserve what Edward chooses to do with me."

"What is going on?" Alice echoed Bella's question.

"Renesmee isn't dead…is she?" Edward growled at Carlisle, pinning his father against the wall. "Is she?"

"No…" Carlisle looked away from Edward, and his eyes fell to Bella. "She's not dead."

"What…what are you…what are you saying?" Bella's mind was trying to wrap around what Carlisle was saying. True, she had watched the girl inside respond to the name Renesmee, but she was numb to the idea that it could truly be her daughter; after all, for seven years, her daughter had been dead. Bella felt herself almost falling into Esme's grip.

"Tell her!" Edward said through a clenched jaw, pushing Carlisle into the wall. "Tell everyone what you did!"

"Renesmee never died." Carlisle said, glancing around to his whole family. "I lied."

"What?" Rosalie stepped forward. "How could you do that? To all of us? To Bella and Edward?"

"I did it to protect Renesmee." Carlisle said.

"We could have protected her!" Edward growled. "She was mine! My child!"

"Edward…" Esme spoke softly.

Edward turned quickly, facing his mother. "You knew…" He realized as he looked into Esme's eyes. "You knew she was live."

Esme nodded softly. "We had to keep her safe…"

Bella immediately let go of Esme, feeling betrayed, and moved to Edward's strong grip. He quickly wrapped his arms around his wife's shaking form.

"Wait so Renesmee is alive?" Emmett was a little slow.

"Yeah." Edward nodded toward his brother.

"How could you do this to us?" Bella snapped at Carlisle. "She was my baby…and you let me think…you let me think I lost her!"

"The Volturi were after her…she would have never been safe with us." Carlisle said simply.

"They are still after her." Edward shot back. "They never really stopped looking for her, so putting her with Charlie and lying about who she was and changing her name never stopped them. They found her!"

"You mean…R.E…." Alice realized.

Edward nodded. "R.E. is our Renesmee."

Suddenly, the weight of those words fell on Bella like a ton of bricks. She had heard R.E. respond to Renesmee but it did not fully hit her until Edward said it, that she had been so close to her daughter for some time now and did not even realize it. Bella fell to her knees, tearlessly sobbing, forcing Edward to crouch down next to her, holding her tightly.

As if on cue, the door of Charlie's room swung open and Renesmee stepped into the hallway, her face tearstained. All eyes were on her, as if the Cullen family was seeing her for the first time, for who she really was; their Renesmee.

"Charlie wants you…" Renesmee glanced at Bella on the floor and then side-stepped around mother moving toward Jacob, ignoring the fact that Bella was looking at her in awe.

Bella stood slowly, glancing at Renesmee and realizing just how much she did look like Edward, and herself, and how much she resembled the Renesmee in Bella's memory. Bella could not believe she had not seen it earlier.

"Bella…come…" Edward took Bella's hand and led her into Charlie's room. He was now able to read Renesmee's mind crystal clear as well, and he knew she was in no mood for a reunion now.

Bella struggled against Edward's pull, wanting to speak to Renesmee, but eventually she gave in and allowed him to lead her into Charlie's room, closing the door behind them.

The second the door was closed, Jacob moved toward his imprint. "Nessie..."

Renesmee stopped him, placing a hand on his hard chest. "Why didn't you come find me?"

"I wanted to." Jacob glanced back at Sam and then back to Renesmee. "But…we thought it was best to keep you away from here."

"If Charlie had died…and I wasn't here…" Renesmee could feel her blood boiling.

"He didn't die." Jacob told her.

"Not yet." Renesmee growled and then turned her attention to Carlisle, completely ignoring the fact that Bella and Edward were glancing up at her in awe. "Grandpa Carlisle…his breathing is bad."

"We did all we could for him." Carlisle spoke softly of Charlie.

"Well you better figure out a way to do better." Renesmee seemed to threaten. "Because I won't lose him…not like this."

Carlisle nodded, understanding. "I will."

Renesmee then turned to Leah, Paul, and Sam. "Thank you guys for coming…but if there are Volturi out there…someone needs to keep an eye on things. You should all go…there is nothing more you can do here."

"We don't want to leave you." Leah spoke up. She and Renesmee were close, and she did not want to leave her friend in the visibly awkward and stressful situation she was in now.

"I'll be fine." Renesmee gave a half-smile to Leah to reassure her.

"She is right." Paul said. "We should go."

Sam nodded. "If anything changes with Charlie…"

"I will call. I promise." Renesmee said as she watched Sam nod and led Leah and Paul out of the hallway.

"Renesmee…" Alice spoke softly to the niece she just now recognized.

But Renesmee ignored her, keeping her back to all of the Cullen's. "Jake, would you go get some air with me?"

"Sure." Jacob nodded, his eyes glancing up and offering almost an apology to Alice before he took Renesmee's hand and led her down the hall.

Suddenly, all eyes turned to Carlisle and Esme.

"How could you lie to us all like that for so long?" Rosalie spoke up.

"We wanted to keep Renesmee safe." Carlisle said. "We thought we were doing the right thing."

"Why didn't you tell us when we found Renesmee here then?" Alice asked. "You let us go around thinking she was someone else…"

Jasper put a hand of Alice's shoulder, trying to calm her. He could feel the sorrow and shame that filled both Carlisle and Esme and he knew they both thought they had done the best they could.

"It's done with now." Jasper spoke softly.

"Like hell it is!" Rosalie snapped. "Renesmee was gone for seven years! Her entire childhood was stolen from Bella and Edward! She is a teenager and she hates all of us…"

"She doesn't hate us." Esme said.

"It's pretty obvious she is not a fan of us." Rosalie snorted.

"Even so…what good would her childhood have done anyone if she had died in our care?" Carlisle asked.

"At least her parents would have known her…" Rosalie glared. "Especially since it seems like the Volturi are keen on killing her now."

"They won't touch her." Emmett spoke abruptly. "Forget what happened…or what Carlisle did…it's done and over with. Renesmee is back, and she needs our help and we need to protect her." Leave it to Emmett to make sense of such a messy situation.

"Emmet is right." Jasper said. "We just need to be supportive of Bella and Edward and Renesmee and do whatever we need to in order to make things right and keep everyone safe."

"Fine." Rosalie said after a moment, realizing both Emmett and Jasper had valid points.

"Thank you, boys." Carlisle smiled at Jasper and Emmett.

"Don't think we aren't just as pissed at you as the girls are." Emmett spoke up. "Because we are…we just know we have bigger things to deal with right now."

Carlisle nodded. "Fair enough." He knew he deserved all the anger and rage his family had bent up for him now. His lie had come out, and the truth stung, but he knew the idea that he had to lie to his family was what really hurt them.

* * *

Renesmee stepped outside of the hospital doors and immediately felt relief as the cool Washington air hit her face. A second later, Jacob was standing at her side. The pair stood, silent for a few minutes before Jacob decided to speak.

"Everyone inside knows who you are." Jacob dug his hands into his pockets, his muscles flexing, but he did not look at Renesmee, instead he stared straight ahead.

"I know." Renesmee said, also looking ahead.

"And you're not at all curious as to…" Jacob let his words trail off, unsure of how to finish his sentence. "Sometimes it's nice to have family around, Nes." He said finally.

Renesmee glanced over at her boyfriend, her soul mate. "I don't need family. I just need to know Charlie is going to be okay."

"You don't always have to be so tough, Renesmee." Jacob said. "It's okay to let people in every once and awhile."

"The only family I need is Charlie." Renesmee said, through a clenched jaw. Annoyed that Jacob wouldn't immediately take her side on this. In truth, she was curious about the Cullen's, but she had been to hurt and there were too many other things to focus on. She needed to know Charlie would be okay, that was all that mattered. She turned, moving back toward the hospital doors; she had talked enough with Jacob.

"And what if something happens to Charlie?" Jacob was getting annoyed at Renesmee's stubbornness.

"Nothing will happen to him!" Renesmee snapped, turning back to face Jacob.

"Maybe not today…or tomorrow…but someday Charlie won't be here. Someday _I _won't be here…then what?" Jacob asked.

"Then I spend my time alone." Renesmee seemed to growl. "I am not going to play pretend family just so I don't have to be alone." She then turned and moved back into the hospital, slamming the door and cracking the glass panel in it with her temper.

Jacob sighed, knowing that he had obviously pissed Renesmee off, and that usually was not a good thing. She had always had a temper on her, but Jacob knew from experience that her temper, mixed with stress usually turned Renesmee into a walking time-bomb, and she was certainly under stress right now.

* * *

Aro perked up suddenly from the chair he sat in. Alec, Jane, Caius, and Marcus all turned to look at him immediately.

"What is it?" Caius asked, noticing a smile creeping across Aro's face.

"I can sense her." Aro smiled.

"Who?" Alec asked.

"Renesmee…" Aro continued to grin. "She is close."

"She came back…for Bella's father." Jane concluded.

"Charlie…yes…she did return for him." Aro nodded. He had been so obsessed with finding Renesmee for the past few years that he felt as though he could feel her every move if she were close enough to him and now, apparently, she was.

"So then she will be easier to get to." Marcus sighed, almost bored.

"No…no we must wait." Aro said, rubbing his hands together.

"Wait? But we have waited so long…" Jane started.

"But it will be easier to deal with her once Charlie dies…the confusion and hurt surrounding his death will be great for the Cullen's. They will not be in the best shape to protect Renesmee." Aro stated.

"So we wait?" Alec asked.

Aro nodded. "We wait…but not here. Its too close…we need to let them gain a false sense of security."

"So what does that mean? We leave?" Jane asked.

Aro nodded. "We go back to Italy. Let the Cullen's think all is safe, and that Charlie's death is all they have to handle right now. It is not like they can get away from us again. When they lease expect it, we shall come for Renesmee…and kill whoever gets in our way."

The rest of the Volturi nodded, knowing that they could not argue with Aro or go against his wishes regardless of their personal feelings on the situation that now faced them. They knew they were all going back to Italy, at least for a little while.

* * *

Bella and Edward quietly made their way into Charlie's hospital room to find him in bed, his eyes following their every move as the couple came closer to him. Silence filled the room, aside from the beeping of the heart monitoring machine and Charlie's rapid and raspy breaths.

"Bella…" Charlie chocked out.

"Dad, please…you need to rest." Bella said, taking the chair Edward had pulled up next to Charlie's bed for her.

"Bells…" Charlie shook his head and shot his hand out to take Bella's ice cold one. "She is a good kid…" Every breathe was a struggle for Charlie. "Nes…she does love you…she…is just hurt…"

"Dad, please…" Bella did not want to hear Charlie like this.

"I am sorry…" Charlie took a deep breath, his voice fading to a whisper. "that…you didn't…know…"

"That's not your fault, Charlie." Edward told his father-in-law, as he leaned on the back of Bella's chair. In his eyes, Charlie was as innocent as Renesmee in the huge lie; Carlisle was the real one to blame in it all.

Before Charlie could muster up the strength to say another word, the door to his room opened and Renesmee answered, her eyes visibly shocked to see Bella and Edward sitting next to her grandfather.

Charlie's eyes lit up when he saw Renesmee, and that was obvious to both Bella and Edward. Even as sick as he was, as noticeably close to death as he was, Charlie Swan beamed every time he saw his granddaughter. "Nes…"

Renesmee, after a beat, moved toward Charlie's bed, but the opposite side that Bella and Edward were sitting on. "Yeah?"

Charlie reached out, grabbing Renesmee's hand that was in a fist, leaning against his bed and forced her fist opened. "Stop…being so…tough." Charlie managed out, with a small grin.

"Stop bossing me around…" Renesmee grinned back a bit, though tears threatened her eyes. She could feel it, even in Charlie's grasp, he was growing weaker with each breath and it was her fault. By existing she had put him in harm's way.

Charlie grinned back for a brief moment, but then his smile faded and turned sad. His face got more serious as he struggled to breath. "You…are…the best…thing that…that ever happened…to me….Nes."

Renesmee could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she realized what Charlie was trying to say to her. Immediately she shook her head, as if it would stop him. "No…no you don't get to say goodbye to me yet, Gramps."

"Nes…" Charlie struggled out.

Edward could feel Bella's muscles contract under her cold, unchanging skin. Being a vampire, he knew she could sense it as well as he could. Charlie's death was nearby. Edward gazed up at Renesmee, the girl he realized was now his daughter, and could see in the expression on her face that she could feel it as well.

"No…you're not going anywhere." Renesmee almost demanded of Charlie. "I…I still need you…you can't leave me. I can't live with this…" Renesmee looked away.

"Nes…" Charlie chocked out, each breath harder than the last. "This…isn't your…fault."

"Yes…yes it is." Renesmee told him. "I am the reason you are here…I did this."

"No…" Charlie grinned again, squeezing Renesmee's hand as hard as he could and forcing her to look up at him. "It's not…"

"Grandpa…" Renesmee almost whispered.

"I…love you." Charlie breathed out, and slowly let go of Renesmee's hand.

Renesmee could feel the life leave Charlie's body almost immediately and she began to hysterically cry, causing Carlisle and Esme to rush into the room. They too, could feel the death in the room.

Renesmee's eyes shot up to Carlisle. "Save him!" Renesmee pointed to Charlie.

Carlisle moved to Charlie's side, doing all he could to bring the life back into Bella's father, his in-law. But he knew he was too late; there was nothing he could do for Charlie. After a moment, Carlisle sighed, and checked his watch, noting the time of death.

"No!" Renesmee moved up to Carlisle, pushing him hard from behind. "You can't just…you can't give up like that!"

"I am sorry." Carlisle looked down at his granddaughter first, and then his glance moved to Bella who was trembling in Edward's strong grasp.

Bella just nodded, her body numb and her mind racing. Too much had happened to her in such a short period of time; she had gained a daughter who seemed to hate her and lost a father who had loved her unconditionally.

"No…fix it!" Renesmee spat, her temper flaring as the tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "Fix him! That's what you do! You're a doctor…you…you fix people…" She felt her body starting to heave with the grief and then she felt two cold arms wrap around her and for once, welcomed the cold.

Esme scooped her granddaughter up in her arms and kissed Renesmee on the head as she felt the girl's tears run down her cold arms. "Sh…baby…shh…" She glanced up to see the rest of the Cullen's and Jacob, standing at the doorway, staring in shock.

Bella, however, as she watched her daughter cry in her mother-in-law's arms, felt her body snap from its numb state. Renesmee was her daughter, regardless of the fact that she barely knew her, and her motherly instincts told her to comfort her offspring. She stepped forward, toward Renesmee and Esme.

Renesmee felt her mother coming closer to her, and even in her desperation forcefully turned her shoulder into Esme, knowing she could not hurt her grandmother, but giving Bella the hint to leave her alone, to not touch her. Renesmee did not want her mother.

Renesmee's actions caused Bella to freeze, and her unbeating heart break even more than it already was.


	15. Making Plans

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 14**

It took minutes for Charlie's body to be removed from the room, on the request of Carlisle, who was worried if Renesmee stared at her dead grandfather's corpse much longer she would lose control.

Jacob had come into the room now, and wrapped his arms protectively around Renesmee as the rest of the Cullen's stood on the opposite side of the room.

Silence, aside from Renesmee's uneven breathing, filled the room. The girl was much calmer now, numb to the whole situation, numb to the fact that her grandfather, her Charlie, was dead.

"So…what now?" Edward asked, staring at the empty bed where Charlie had been moments earlier. His hands rested on Bella's shoulders, as if to give his immortal wife support.

"We should go home." Carlisle said. "There is nothing more that can be done here."

Renesmee laughed bitterly to herself, causing everyone to turn to her.

"Nes?" Jacob questioned his imprint.

Edward's jaw locked as he read Renesmee's thoughts moments before she said them out loud.

"Home?" Renesmee shook her head, a small sad grin on her face. "Right…"

"Renesmee, obviously you would come home with us…" Esme started.

Renesmee just shook her head. "That's not my home." She turned to look at Jacob. "I'll meet you down at your bike."

Before anyone could say anything else, Renesmee was out of the room.

Jacob sighed, Renesmee was always difficult.

"Where is she going?" Rosalie asked, not wanting her niece out of her sight, now after she had not seen her for seven years.

"No where." Jacob shook his head, turning to Carlisle. "I will bring her by your place. It just may take me a little time to get her to go."

"Don't…don't push her, Jake." Bella said. Of course she wanted to spend every second with Renesmee, especially now, but she knew it was all too new for everyone, and that Renesmee was crushed by the loss of Charlie. She did not want to push her daughter any farther then she already was.

"Where else does she have to go?" Jacob asked. "You guys are the only family she has now…whether she likes it or not."

"Thank you." Edward smiled slightly at Jacob, reading the wolves thoughts and knowing Jacob wanted Renesmee to make amends with the Cullen's.

Jacob just nodded. "I'll see you guys soon." He then followed Renesmee out of the room.

Once Jacob and Renesmee were out of the room Bella broke down, falling into Edward's strong grasp and tearlessly sobbing.

"Bella…" Edward tried to calm his wife.

"She was here…and Charlie…" Bella chocked out.

"We should just get her home…" Alice suggested.

Carlisle nodded. "We have preparations to make." He glanced at Edward, his eyes full of apology.

Edward however, clenched his jaw, turning away from his father and angry Carlisle had caused both Bella and himself so much pain.

* * *

Aro, Marcus, Caius, Jane, and Alec all arrived back in Italy and resumed their roles in Voltaire as quickly as they had left Forks. No one but Aro understood why they had come all the way back to Italy, but all followed him, as his orders were always followed.

Jane, however, was to restless to resist questioning Aro. She stood silently in front of his throne, her hands together. "Why have we returned? With the human dead, Renesmee will be so easy to get to?"

Aro smiled at the younger vampire. "And that will not change. We will get Renesmee at some point, but I will not interrupt the Cullen's mourning."

"The dead one is not worth the morning." Caius scoffed, referring to Charlie.

"I still do not want to disrespect Carlisle anymore than necessary. He was always a dear friend." Aro narrowed his eyes at Caius. "And we have waited this long for Renesmee's mouthwatering blood…what is a few more weeks?"

"Days?" Alec asked. "If we are going back in mere weeks why did we return to Italy?"

"Because I have a feeling we will not be returning to the States." Aro grinned, looking over at Marcus.

Marcus seemed uninterested, but answered Aro's grin. "Renesmee was close to her grandfather…she will seek revenge. It is one of the only relationships she truly trusted." Marcus explained the information he had gathered with his gift.

"So she will come to us then?" Jane seemed rather annoyed; the whole reason she was really after Renesmee was to see Bella Cullen in pain, and if Renesmee came to Italy that may not happen.

"I think she will." Aro smiled, his mind completely on Renesmee and how wonderful he imagined her blood would taste in his mouth.

* * *

Renesmee stood against Jacob's motorcycle, waiting for him to come out of the hospital. After a few minutes, he made his way out the door and across the parking lot toward her. He said nothing as he got on his bike, glancing back for her to get on as well.

Renesmee rolled her eyes but got on, gripping Jacob tightly. "So you're not talking to me now?"

Jacob turned around and looked at Renesmee. "I don't…know what to say…I don't think I am sorry cuts it here…"

"Charlie is dead." Renesmee nodded and spoke very matter-of-factly. "Nothing you say or do is going to change that or make it easier. He…he is just dead." Renesmee could feel it, she was numb to the entire situation.

"It's not your fault." Jacob told her, knowing exactly how she could take the situation. "You couldn't have controlled his."

"That's where you're wrong." Renesmee sighed.

"No." Jacob shook his head. "I'm not."

"Just…let's get out of here." Renesmee said.

Jacob turned and looked at her with pleading eyes. "You know where I am bringing you, don't you?"

Renesmee rolled her eyes again. "I figured we were going to the Cullen's…regardless of what I really want."

"They are your family, Nes." Jacob told her. "And they care…they want to help you out through all this."

"Ninety percent of them just found out I wasn't dead…how can you say they want to help?" Renesmee snorted.

"Because I know them." Jacob told her, kick starting his bike. "Hold on tight."

Renesmee listened to Jacob and wrapped her arms around his muscular back and abs, allowing himt o pull the bike out of the parking lot at full speed.

* * *

Edward slowly carried Bella from his car into the Cullen's home. Normally, she would have rejected such behavior, but today she actually felt weak, almost human again. The loss of Charlie and the sudden realization that Renesmee had never been too far away had hit the young vampire like a pile of bricks.

Bella buried her head into Edward's strong chest and closed her eyes, knowing she could not sleep, but still wanting the comfort of the blackness of her eye lids.

"Put her on the couch." Alice almost sung to Edward as she moved ahead of her brother through the house.

Edward nodded, gently laying Bella down on the couch as the rest of the Cullen's filed into the living room.

"We need to get things organized and arranged." Carlisle said, once everyone was together. "Charlie's funeral…the return of the Volturi…"

"You leave Bella alone to make Charlie's arrangements…" Edward snapped at Carlisle, still angry with him.

"Edward…" Bella sat up, her eyes sadly staring up at her husband. "Please…don't be angry with Carlisle." She turned to look at Carlisle, his eyes full of apology and hers full of acceptance.

"Thank you, Bella." Carlisle nodded toward his daughter-in-law.

Edward glanced between Bella and Carlisle and then shook his head. "She may be able to forgive you…but I can't…not right now…not either of you…" He glanced between Esme and Carlisle as he spoke.

"We did not mean…" Esme started, but stopped, knowing she could not finish her sentence.

"Edward…it's done with." Bella said, her voice almost mechanical. "Charlie is gone…Renesmee is back…" She seemed to stare off into space. "She is our priority now."

Edward said nothing, but slumped down on the couch next to Bella, knowing he did not want to upset her any more. He wrapped an arm protectively around her and after a moment looked up at Carlisle. "So…what do we do now?"

Carlisle looked toward Alice. "Alice…could you…"

Alice nodded,

Alice smiled slightly at this. "I already have been keeping an eye on the Volturi…they are back in Italy."

"Italy?" Emmett shook his head. "They went all the way back there? Bunch of babies…"

"It doesn't make much sense for the Volturi to go back there." Jasper said, slightly confused. "I mean…not with all that has happened…if they want Renesmee…she is here and they know it."

"Maybe they are regrouping in Italy…" Rosalie offered, a snarl in her voice. She would protect Renesmee at all costs; she had loved her niece and nothing, not even Renesmee's stubborn attitude, would change that.

Alice shook her head. "They don't have any immediately plans to come back. I think they are staying in Italy."

"Well…then we should book our tickets now." Renesmee's voice filled the room as she filed in, followed by Jacob. "I heard tickets to Italy are not the cheapest…but I am sure you could work on that one, Grandpa." Renesmee narrowed her eyes at Carlisle.

"Renesmee…" Carlisle nodded silently, acknowledging her presence.

The rest of the Cullen's, aside from Carlisle and Esme went rigid as Renesmee stood in the center of the room, her arms crossed over her chest. They were all amazed by her beauty, and how much she had grown and changed. They all had missed her, and were still wrapping their heads around the idea that she was very much alive.

"So…about Italy…" Renesmee continued, her eyes on Carlisle as she could feel the rest of the eyes on her.

"No one is going to Italy." Carlisle told her. "We have a funeral to arrange and…"

"No one is stopping you." Renesmee said, simply. "But I have bigger plans…"

"Nes…" Jacob warned from his spot leaning on the couch behind Edward and Bella. "Be an adult about this. First things first…" Jacob knew that the way Renesmee dealt with pain was through anger, and now that the shock of Charlie's death was wearing off, it was easy to see just how angry she was.

"I don't need a babysitter, Jake." Renesmee snapped. "All I have left to do is square this situation away…for Charlie's sake."

"Well…Charlie wouldn't have wanted you to get hurt…" Carlisle started.

"Charlie wouldn't want to be dead either…" Renesmee growled at her grandfather.

"There are some things that are out of our control, Renesmee." Carlisle said sternly.

"Well, this could be in my control. I could go there, handle them and be done with it!" Renesmee's jaw was clenched and her fists her in balls.

"Renesmee….please just calm down for a moment…" Esme started.

"I want those Volturi dead." Renesmee said. "You can help me or not…"

"They are much too powerful for you to take on yourself, Renesmee. You know that…" Carlisle said, knowing he had told Renesmee many stories about the Volturi.

"Guess I don't care…" Renesmee mumbled as she looked at the ground, her arms still crossed. After a moment she looked up. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Well…" Emmett was the first of the Cullen's who thought Renesmee was dead to actually speak directly to her since they had found out the truth in the hospital. "They could kill you…"

"Wow." Renesmee said sarcastically. "You are a rocket scientist…" She turned her attention to Carlisle. "I can handle myself. I have done fine for years."

Emmett scrunched his eyebrows up, not ever remembering his niece being so hostile.

"Emmett is right, Nes." Jacob spoke up. "You can't go…you would have no chance."

"I don't need a chance! I just need a few good grabs and pulls. As long as they are dead in the end…that's all that matters." Renesmee said.

"You know Charlie would not have wanted this. You running off to get killed does not fix a thing. You are only dishonoring Charlie by allowing his death to mean nothing." Carlisle spoke calmly, but knew the effect his words would have.

The mention of Charlie caused pain and angry to flash through Renesmee's eyes. "Don't you talk to me about honor…"

"Charlie died to keep you safe." Carlisle continued. "To keep you alive."

Renesmee snorted. "For what purpose? He is gone…I've got nothing left…"

Jacob was about to cut Renesmee off, but Bella surprising beat him to it.

"That's not true…" Bella looked up slowly at her daughter, soaking in all of Renesmee's features. "We all care what happens to you, Renesmee…"

Renesmee was struck silent for a moment, unable to believe Bella had spoken directly to her, no longer as a stranger or a classmate, but as her mother.

Edward could tell Renesmee's thoughts were scrambled and decided to take advantage of it, knowing he wanted his daughter back and safe, but also knowing, from reading her thoughts, that Renesmee was as stubborn as Bella when it came to some things. "We are not saying we won't take care of this. We will. But we need a better plan then going to Italy with no idea…"

"What?" Bella was shocked, turning to Edward. "No…we will not take care of this. It's over with…" Her mother instincts were kicking in full force. "We just got her back…" She motioned to Renesmee.

"No." Renesmee shook her head. "You didn't." She dug into her pocket, fishing her keys out and holding them up. "I am taking care of this myself…" She glanced at Carlisle and then Bella. "And I don't need _anyone's_ permission. They only person who set rules for me is dead." She quickly started moving toward the door.

"Nes…" Jacob moved to stop his imprint.

Renesmee, however was angry and quick tempered, and with the flick of her wrist, she sent Jacob flying through the living room, smashing into the Cullen's glass coffee table. She stopped for a minute, notching the damage her temper had inflicted before marching out of the house.

Immediately Jacob got up, seeing the concern in everyone's eyes. He brushed the glass off of his shirt and gave a nervous chuckle. "She has a temper."

"We should stop her." Rosalie suggested.

"No." Jacob shook his head. "She just need to cool off…she won't do anything drastic or stupid. Give her a day or two and she will be calm enough to make rational decisions, trust me. I know her, she doesn't do things without serious thought, no matter how riled up she is."

Carlisle nodded in agreement, knowing his granddaughter well. "She will be back. In the mean time, Charlie's funeral…"

Bella stood, cutting Carlisle off; too much, again, had happened. She needed time to regroup. "I think I am going to go upstairs. Make whatever plans you need." She then moved gracefully across the room and up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Edward.

Edward stood too, not saying anything, but following his wife. He was concerned for her; aside from the second she was angry Edward had told Renesmee they would go after the Volturi, Bella's sweet voice had been deprived of much emotion. The way Bella was acting now reminded Edward of the memories Jacob allowed him to see of Bella's comatose state after Edward had left her years ago in the woods. Edward did not like to see Bella like that, and the worry in his gut rose with each step he took toward the bedroom Bella was now in.

* * *

Bella heard the door creek open as she lay on the huge bed she never slept in. She knew Edward had followed her up to their bedroom, but she did not really care. She felt numb to everything, and she didn't mind.

"Bella…" Edward said softly, closing the door behind him and moving toward the bed, taking a seat on the edge of the side she was facing so she would have to look at him.

"You should be downstairs." Bella told him. "Making plans on how to handle things, right?" She taunted him with the words he had spoken to Renesmee earlier.

Edward closed his eyes for a moment, knowing exactly what Bella was referring to. "I was in her head. She was angry…and so stubborn." A weak crocked smile crossed his lips. "She takes after her mother in that way…"

Bella just shook her head against her pillow and pulled her legs up to her chest, making herself into a little ball. "How could we have not seen it? How did we not know it was her? We spent so much time…"

"A lot changed in seven years, Bella." Edward tried to comfort his wife.

"No…Edward…I am her mother." Bella wanted to cry, but knew she never would be able to again. "I should have known."

"But she is here now." Edward told his wife. "We got her back…"

"And she is so angry." Bella sighed. "It's been a blessing and a curse…"

"What has?" Edward asked.

"My dad's death." Bella sat up. "If Charlie had not been hurt…not died…we would have never known who she was…but he still died. He was my dad…"

Edward pulled Bella in for a hug. "I told you, a long time ago…someday everyone you know will be dead…this is the life we chose, Bella."

"I know that. But I didn't think it would be like this." Bella said truthfully. "He was so young. I loved him so much, and he never really knew…" Bella looked down at her hands.

"He knew." Edward assured her. "Trust me, he knew…" He kissed the top of Bella's head.

"It's just so…everything is messed up. I owe Charlie so much…I never got to thank him for anything….I never got to thank him for keeping Renesmee safe." Bella chocked on her words.

"Bella, you can't control that…" Edward told her.

"Edward, what are we going to do?" Bella buried her head in his stone cold shoulder. "We have Renesmee to worry about now…"

"You heard Jacob, just give her time to cool off." Edward told his wife. "She is back now, we won't lose her again."

"She hates us." Bella sighed.

Edward chuckled slightly. "I doubt she hates us. I focused in on her minds more once I realized who she was and, while she wants to hate us both…to hate us all…so much, she can't. She is angry and hurt but even she knows, under it all, she doesn't _hate _us."

"Well then she doesn't really like us very much." Bella rephrased her sentence.

"Give her time." Edward kissed Bella's head again. "Besides, you have other things to handle right now." He reached over Bella and handed her his cell phone that had been on the nightstand.

"What?" Bella asked, taking the phone.

"I know…you don't want to." Edward started. "But you need to call Renee…tell her what happened to Charlie."

"I can't do that." Bella shook her head, slightly shocked by Edward's suggestion. "I haven't talked to her in years…it would be strange. I haven't changed, she would notice."

"You need to give her the chance to come, Bella." Edward told her. At this point, he saw no harm in calling Renee, remembering just how much of a scatterbrain she was, he figured she would not even notice Bella had not aged.

"Fine." Bella nodded in defeat and dialed the familiar number of the mother she had not seen or spoken to in years.

* * *

Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jacob all stood in the Cullen's living room, discussing what their next plans would be.

"We need to arrange Charlie's funeral." Esme said.

"Is that really necessary right now?" Rosalie asked. "I mean with everything going on, and if the Volturi…"

"I told you, they are not coming back here." Alice assured her sister.

"Charlie deserves a proper funeral." Carlisle said.

Jacob nodded in agreement. "He was loved by many people. Small down, a death like his…people are going to want to get a chance to say goodbye."

"Plus, it may be good to get Renesmee involved in something with us…even if it's something morbid like planning a funeral." Jasper added.

"Don't hold your breath on that one." Jacob sighed. "It may take her some time to cool off, but she is tough…it's going to take a lot of work for you guys to get through to her."

"Well, we are always up for a challenge." Emmett smirked, folding his large arms across his broad chest.

Jacob just nodded, looking toward Carlisle. "I know you said they won't come for her…but if the Volturi…"

"Alice will see if they come." Carlisle assured Jacob. "Nessie will be safe."

Jacob nodded again, taking a deep breath of relief. "Well…if you need help with anything, the wolf pack will do all we can. Charlie was like family to us, and Nes still is…"

"Thank you, Jacob." Carlisle nodded toward the young werewolf, but his words had so much meaning then they sounded. He was, of course, thanking Jacob for the offer of help, but was also thanking Jacob for everything the werewolf had done for his granddaughter. He knew he owed Renesmee's relatively safe existence to Jacob Black.

* * *

The phone rang three times and Bella was about to hang up when she suddenly heard the sweet voice of her mother whom she had missed so dearly.

"Hello?" Renee's voice filled the phone.

Bella couldn't help but smile. She thought she would never hear Renee's voice again. "Mom?"

"Bella!" Renee could not hide the shock in her voice. "Bella, is that you?"

Bella giggled a bit, knowing she would be crying if she was able to. "Yes…it's me."

"Sweetie! What happened?" Renee asked. "I haven't heard from you…Charlie said you just went missing…"

"Well, life took some different turns." Bella said to her mother as she glanced at Edward who was watching her very intensely as she spoke on the phone. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

"Where are you, Bella?" Renee asked.

"In Washington, actually." Bella said.

"With your father?" Renee asked.

"Well…that's kind of why I called, mom." Bella's smile faded as she took a deep breath and Edward wrapped an arm around her, as if to protect her. "Something happened…"

"What's wrong?" Renee's voice was full of concern in the phone.

"Dad…he, uh…had an accident…" Bella held the phone tightly. "He…passed away."

"Oh dear…" Renee sounded shocked. "I….wow…."

"I know." Bella understood her mother's lack of words for the situation.

"Is there…did you plan a funeral?" Renee asked.

"Yes." Bella nodded, even though she knew her mother could not see that through the phone. "Well…we are…would you come if…"

"Of course!" Renee said instantly. "I feel horrible about this…and that poor R.E…."

"You…you know her?" Bella was surprised by this.

"Charlie called every once in awhile. I met her once, last year." Renee said. "I had a flight delay in Seattle and Charlie met me there with her for lunch…what a sweet girl. I feel horrible, just horrible for her…for everyone."

"Yeah." Bella nodded, realizing that Renee was right; Renesmee was probably suffering more than anyone. Charlie was the only person she had for so long. "Its terrible."

"Well, you call me back with the information and I will book a flight out." Renee told Bella.

"Ok, I will." Bella said. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, sweetie." Renee said. "Talk to you soon."

Bella just nodded, and hung the phone up, tossing it back to Edward who was still watching her, intensely.

"She is going to come out." Bella said to her husband.

Edward nodded. "Good…"

"And she knows Nessie." Bella said. "She met her. She feels terrible about all of this."

"We all do, Bella." Edward told his wife.

"No…" Bella shook her head. "I've been so upset for myself that my dad died…and so upset about this mess with Renesmee that I didn't even realize just how hurt she must be. She and Charlie seemed close…we have to help her now."

Edward just nodded, pulling Bella in for a tight hug and kissing her forehead gently, wanting to push all the pain and hurt out of Bella's beautiful eyes. He knew she wanted to help Renesmee and so did he. He loved his daughter. He just hoped Renesmee would let them help her like parents should.

* * *

Renesmee stood in the woods, far away enough that she knew her father's special talent for hearing her thoughts would no longer work. Then, she began plotting. She knew she had to avenge Charlie's death, it was the one thing that would make her truly happy now.

Renesmee knew, even though she had fought with everyone inside the Cullen's home, that she could not take the Volturi on without some serious help. The question was where she would manage to get that help from. She knew the pack would never help her, because Jacob would never allow it. He was too worried about losing her to allow her to put herself in such danger.

Renesmee could think of only one option, and she knew it was risky. She had remembered, when she was younger, that Carlisle and Esme would tell her all about their cousins, the Denali's. A coven from Alaska that lived off of the same kind of diet as the Cullen's did.

Renesmee remembered the Denali very well, actually. Even though she had been young, she could recall the aid they had given her and her family the first time the Volturi had come for her, when she was much younger. In particular, she remembered Tanya, and how enraged she had been with Cauis for killing her sister. She knew, if anyone would be crazy enough to go after the Volturi with her, Tanya would be it.

With those thoughts in mind, Renesmee began running, as fast as her legs could carry her, toward Alaska.


	16. Learning About a Broken Past

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 15**

Esme and Rosalie both stood in the kitchen, talking quickly about the arrangements for Charlie. They knew they had limited time to get it all in order, but also had no idea where to start. None of them had ever needed to arrange a funeral before, or even think about it. None of them would ever really die. They really wanted to leave it all up to Bella, and so they had asked Edward to call her into the kitchen.

Within moments, Bella made her way into the kitchen, her back slumped over and her feet shuffling loudly.

Rosalie laughed slightly at the sight of Bella. "I've never seen you look more human in the past seven years then right now."

Bella's now golden orbs shot up at Rosalie. "Do I look _that _bad?"

"You were never a bad looking human, Bella." Rosalie told her sister-in-law. "You were just clumsy…and you look clumsy today."

"Maybe because I feel clumsy today." Bella sighed, taking a seat at the kitchen table that was never really used.

"Why, sweetie?" Esme was at her daughter-in-laws side in a flash, smoothing Bella's now perfect hair over her stone-like shoulders. Esme loved that Bella was a part of her family now, but sometimes it bothered her to see Bella so much like the stone statues around her. Esme had loved how Bella's human features had always made her different from the rest of the Cullen's, more real. Sometimes, Esme could kick Edward for letting Bella choose this life.

"I just…I don't feel right planning this for Charlie." Bella sighed, fidgeting a bit. "I…I just got back in his life…I don't even know him that well anymore."

"Bella, he is still your father." Esme reminded her softly.

"I just think that this is something I would rather not handle right now." Bella looked down at her hands, and her eyes fell to the ring that sat on her left hand's third finger; her wedding band, the reason she had waited to sleep with Edward, to conceive Renesmee; the reason she was lucky enough to be part of this loving family that surrounded her now.

"Bella…" Esme spoke softly, soothing.

Bella glanced up at Edward's mother. "I just have a lot on my mind right now. Charlie is gone now, and whether I arrange his funeral or not, he is not coming back. I just…Renesmee is my top priority now. Charlie left her, and she needs someone…and truthfully…" Bella looked back down at her hands. "I need her. I missed her…I can't lose her again."

Esme nodded, understanding. "Well, sweetie, you focus on Nessie now then. I can handle everything for Charlie."

"Thanks, Esme." Bella smiled up at the older vampire.

"Anytime." Esme smiled back.

"Well, speaking of Nessie…" Rosalie said as she leaned against the counter. "Have you seen her today, yet, Bella?"

Bella glanced over at Rosalie and shook her head. "No. Is she back?"

Rosalie sighed, glancing out the window before turning to look back at Bella, their matching pairs of golden eyes burning into each other. "I doubt it."

"Jacob said…she had a temper." Bella nodded, looking away from Rosalie and sounding almost sad. She hated to think her beautiful Renesmee had become so damaged, so angry.

Esme laughed softly, causing both Rosalie and Bella to look at her. "Renesmee certainly does have a slight temper…but it passes. I remember one time…a few years ago, when she was much younger…Carlisle and I stopped by to see her, and she had just returned from a baseball game up at La Push with Jacob and her team had lost. Jacob apparently had been on the other team and when he explained the results to us and Charlie…well before Jacob Black knew what happened to him, Renesmee had thrown him into a tree and snapped it in half."

"What?" Bella seemed horrified, trying to imagine a little girl doing that to big, strong Jacob.

"Oh, Jacob was fine. He laughed about it…Charlie made Nessie move the chunks of tree out of the yard and into the woods. She never did anything like that again." Esme smiled fondly at the memory. "And she did apologize quite a few times to Jacob that night."

Rosalie giggled slightly at the image in her head. "I am sure Jacob deserved it."

"I doubt that very much." Esme continued to smile. "But he always lets Renesmee have her way…even if it means tossing him like a rag doll into a tree. I have to say, he is good for her." She glanced at Bella to see the sad look on her beautiful face. "Oh Bella, honey, I am sorry if that story bothered you. I know you don't like to think of Jacob getting hurt…" Esme recalled how frantic Bella had been years ago, after Jacob had been crushed by the newborn army led by Victoria.

"It's not that…it's just…" Bella's eyes were sad. "You knew Renesmee when she was little. You got to see her grow up."

Esme's smile faded and she nodded slowly. "Yes…and I am sorry about that, Bella. I am sorry you didn't…"

Bella shook her head, forcing a smile. She did not want to make Esme feel guilty for trying to do what was best for Renesmee. "Its fine, Esme. I know you and Carlisle meant well. And…well…now Renesmee is back, and I have eternity to get to know her."

"If we can find her." Rosalie reminded Bella that no one knew exactly where Renesmee was.

"I am sure she is with Jacob somewhere." Bella stood, wanting to get changed and look a little more presentable for when Renesmee did return, not that the vampire version of Bella needed much prepping. She was beautiful, flawless now, just like the rest of the Cullen's.

* * *

Edward stood outside of the Cullen's home. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, and he stared out into the forest, never moving. From far away, he would have looked like a statue, forever perched in this seemingly uncomfortable position.

"Edward?" Alice's voice seemed to sing from behind him.

For once, Edward was _almost _startled. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he had not heard Alice's as she had approached him. Still, he could sense his sister before she spoke. He did not turn to face her; instead he continued to stare ahead. "What, Alice?"

"Why are you out here so gloomy?" Alice refused to let Edward's clear annoyance bother her. "Come inside and at least be gloomy with the rest of us. Everyone is upset, Edward…everyone is confused about Renesmee…"

"I am not confused." Edward snapped, glaring at Alice. "I just…don't want to be inside with everyone else."

Alice closed her eyes, sighing loudly; she knew what this was about and she knew she did not have to say the words out loud for Edward to hear what she was thinking, but she also knew it would have a better effect on him if she did. "You won't be mad at Carlisle forever, you know. You will forgive him…"

"No." Edward looked away from his sister. "I won't."

Alice tapped on her head. "I know you will."

"Maybe your vision's fading." Edward snorted, a small smirk breaking across his lips.

Alice glared at her brother's back for a moment, but then continued on, refusing to let him get out of the conversation with her. "You know Carlisle and Esme only lied to us to keep Renesmee safe. They did not do anything to hurt you or Bella on purpose. It killed them as much as it killed anyone else to see the two of you in such pain after Renesmee was lost….Jasper could feel their sadness then and their remorse now. And in case you forgot, they lied to _all _of us."

"And in case you all forgot, she was _my_ daughter…not yours…so forgive them all you'd like!" Edward snapped.

"That's unfair, Edward. We all loved Renesmee…" Alice was hurt.

"Not the same." Edward said, acidly.

"Well, it was the same for Bella…in fact it was worse for her and she forgave Carlisle!" Alice snapped.

Edward closed his eyes, letting a sigh out and looking down at his feet. "She is a better person then I am." He mumbled about his beautiful, immortal wife. "She always has been."

"That's enough, Alice." Carlisle's calming voice came from behind Alice, causing both her and Edward to turn and see Carlisle standing there, his arms folding gently in front of him.

"Sure…" Alice nodded, easily able to tell Carlisle wanted a chance alone with Edward. She gracefully glided off, back into the house.

The second they were alone, Edward turned his back to Carlisle. "I can hear what you want to say…so save the apology."

"I need to say it, if you don't mind." Carlisle walked up and stood next to Edward, starring off into the same forest that Edward's darkening eyes were focused on.

"You need to eat soon." Carlisle said.

Edward snorted, suppressing a laugh. "There is an apology."

"You will want to be strong…if the Volturi come back for her." Carlisle said.

Edward looked over at Carlisle, his brows creasing together. "They will come back for Renesmee?"

"I am certain of it." Carlisle nodded, his eyes turning to look at Edward's. "And regardless of what you may think, I have Renesmee's best interests at heart…I always have."

Edward looked away from Carlisle for a moment. "How could you take her from us?"

"I thought I was protecting her." Carlisle sighed. "And in a way, I was. Renesmee was never harmed…until now…until we returned."

Edward nodded, knowing what Carlisle said was true. "But why didn't you tell us?" He glanced back at his father, easily able to see the pain in Carlisle's eyes.

"Because I knew you would never let me leave her anywhere safe then." Carlisle confessed. "I know how much you and Bella love her…I knew you would stop at nothing to protect her, at the risk of killing yourselves. That would not have helped her…to lose her parents."

"She was lost to us anyway." Edward said.

"But she will come back." Carlisle's voice was full of emotion. "Trust me. I know her…she is stubborn, but not unmovable. She will come back to us…just give her time."

Edward shook his head, sadly. "But I don't know her…not at all…not anymore."

"She is not so different from how you remember her, Edward." Carlisle said. "She is still the beautiful, stubborn, caring little girl you had years ago. She…has just grown harder, on the surface, but deep down, she loves you all and she would do anything for anyone she loves. She is very loyal, and smart, _so smart_…"

Edward smiled after a moment, turning to look at Carlisle, acceptance in his eyes. "She sounds like someone I would want to get to know."

"And I am sure you will." Carlisle nodded back. "And I am sorry I stopped you from doing so before."

After a moment Edward nodded to Carlisle, gently patting his father on the back, to acknowledge he would accept Carlisle's apology, just as Alice had predicted. Deep down, he knew Carlisle had not done anything with the intention of hurting anyone and would fix the situation if he had the chance; Edward knew he just needed to give Carlisle that chance.

* * *

Jacob did not bother knocking, knowing the Cullen's could smell him long before his arrival. Instead, he quickly opened the backdoor to the vampire mansion and shuffled into the living room, where both Emmett and Jasper were watching TV.

"Jacob!" Emmett grinned, but did not turn to face the wolf, instead just sticking a hand up to offer a wave. Out of all the Cullen's, aside from Bella, Jacob got along easiest with Emmett.

"Hey." Jacob made his way over to the couch, taking a seat in the recliner.

"What can we do for you?" Jasper turned to Jacob.

"I was wondering if Nessie has been around today." Jacob said. In truth, he had expected her to show up at La Push that morning, but when she did not he had gone over to the home she had shared with Charlie, but there was still no sign of her, so he decided to check out the Cullen's home, wondering if Renesmee had come to terms with everything faster than he had given her credit to be able to.

"Nah." Emmett shook her head. "She isn't with you?"

Jacob shook his head. "No. She never came by my place." He leaned forward in his seat, his tight black t-shirt stretching over his muscles. "Weird."

"Maybe she just needs some more time to cool off?" Emmett asked.

"Maybe." Jacob shrugged, trying to shake his feeling of tension.

"You're nervous." Jasper implied, able to sense Jacob's feelings.

"Just…just a little worried." Jacob admitted. "I mean, she was angry…but not really with me. I figured she would have come by my place at least by this morning."

"She had a lot thrown at her." Jasper reminded Jacob. "Maybe she needs a little more time than normal."

"Maybe…" Jacob sighed, leaning back in his seat. "She does have a temper…"

"We all got to see that." Emmett joked, remembering how Renesmee had tossed Jacob across the living room a day earlier.

"Jacob?" Bella's voice came from upstairs.

"Downstairs, Bells." Jacob called out.

Immediately, Bella was standing at the top of the stairs, the smile on her face fading. "Renesmee isn't with you?"

"No." Jacob shook his head, seeing the worry on Bella's face. "But that's just like her. I wouldn't start worrying about it for another twenty four hours." Jacob relaxed more, realizing that there was no real reason to be alarmed; Renesmee had run off for much longer amounts of time in the past when she would get angry.

"I wouldn't know." Bella sighed; she was now standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Jacob's eyes narrowed at Bella and he could tell it hurt her to not know Renesmee the way he did, the way a mother should know their daughter. He stood. "Bella, take a walk with me?"

Bella was caught off guard by Jacob's request but nodded, following him out into the Cullen's backyard. The pair walked in silence for a bit, Jacob's hands deep in his pockets and Bella's ivory skin glistening with each sunray that hit it.

"So…did you want to talk about something, Jake?" Bella asked after a moment. It had been so long since she had been alone with her best friend, and it seemed so unreal, like a dream of a far away time, a time before werewolves, and vampires, and marriages, and babies got in the way; a time when it was just Bella and Jacob.

"Well…I just figured…I know Nessie pretty well…" Jacob started, slightly uncomfortable and worried he was out of place talking to Bella like this. "And…you don't…really…so if you had any questions…or wanted to know something about her…"

Bella stopped walking and turned to face Jacob, a smile on her face. "I have tons of questions! I…I wouldn't even know where to start…"

"Good." Jacob smiled back and then the pair began walking again. "I was worried you would get mad at me for offering this…"

"No…not at all." Bella was so thankful Jacob was letting her get to know her daughter a little better; she was so worried she had missed so much, so worried she would not know how to deal with Renesmee because she did not know her daughter well. Jacob would help change that though.

"So…where do I start?" Jacob shrugged.

"From the beginning." Bella said instantly. "From when…well…when Carlisle left her with Charlie…if you know that much."

Jacob nodded. "I was there. Carlisle had told me the plan ahead of time, so I was at Charlie's when Carlisle got her there. Nes was still asleep, so Carlisle put her on the couch and explained everything to Charlie…who surprisingly took it well."

Bella nodded. "We were hunting that night." She recalled.

Jacob looked at his feet. "Yeah, you were. Carlisle thought it was the only chance he would have to get Nessie away from you." He sighed. "Anyway…when she woke up the next day, she was furious. She wanted you and Edward so bad…it killed me and Charlie to tell her she couldn't be with you two anymore because it wasn't safe. Oddly enough, she accepted that after a few days…like she knew everything that had happened had been done with her safety in mind."

"She was always so smart…" Bella recalled, knowing she would be crying if she was able to now.

"She still is." Jacob told Bella. "Straight A student, even though she sleeps through half her classes. Her biggest problem is her mouth in school…and going to class. If she doesn't graduate, it's not because she failed…it's because she never really went to school." He laughed to himself.

"Why doesn't she care about school?" Bella asked, recalling how little Bella had actually seen Renesmee in school since she had arrived in Cassleville.

"She just doesn't really see a point in it." Jacob said. "She just figures she has to do it all again soon enough."

Bella nodded. "I see." It broke her heart to know her daughter did not truly value education. If one part of living with the Cullen's had rubbed off on Bella, it was certainly to value education. All of the Cullen's were full of so much knowledge because they loved to learn, and Bella too enjoyed it now. "Well, tell me about her…when she was little…"

"She was adorable." Jacob beamed. "She loved to run in the woods, and hunt…we used to go on hunts for hours…"

Bella looked at Jacob and could see he was in a different place now, somewhere lost in his memories.

"She is such a good hunter…so fast…" Jacob's smile widened. "And if we weren't hunting we were always playing games. She used to come up to the reservation every Sunday, Charlie would bring her up so he could watch games with Billy, and we would just play outside all day, whether it was basketball or baseball…" Jacob turned to Bella. "All of the pack loves her like she is one of us, you know. They say it's because she is my imprint…that if I didn't love her so much then they would hate her like they hate anything that smells like a vampire…but I know they are just lying. They would have loved her no matter what, it's impossible not to."

Bella nodded, urging Jacob to continue.

"Those years went fast though…she stopped growing over a year ago…so she started going to regular school…she started growing up." Jacob said, his smile much tighter across his lips.

"When did you and her…you know…" Bella started.

Jacob chuckled. "Don't worry, Bells, we only became…_romantically_ connected a little over a year ago…when she started to slow down. Up until then it was strictly a best friend's kind of love."

Bella smiled at Jacob's response, slightly relieved. "Good."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. She…she is certainly something now. Everyone can't believe how fast she grew…how much she changed in front of us all. When she stopped growing it was almost sad for everyone…like we had all watched this projected we had worked on for so long finally be finished."

"I'm glad everyone took such good care of her..." Bella said, her words breaking a little. "While we couldn't…"

Jacob nodded, his smile turning almost sad. "No one blames you for not being around for her."

"No one except Renesmee…" Bella sighed.

"Bella…" Jacob sighed. "It's more complicated than that with her…with this whole thing." He motioned to Bella for emphasis.

"How?" Bella asked, curious as to what Jacob knew about Renesmee's feelings toward her parents.

Jacob sighed. He wanted Renesmee to be the one to tell Bella her true feelings, to explain to Bella why she was so hurt, but he knew she never would. He knew Renesmee would just shut down and close everyone out; it was how she dealt with hard things. "A few years ago…Carlisle asked Renesmee to come home…did you know that?"

Bella raised an eyebrow, surprised. "No…I didn't."

Jacob nodded. "Well, he did. When he thought the Volturi were off her tail…he asked her to come home with himself and Esme. He told her it was safe again, and that no one, at the time, thought she was dead. You all just thought she was missing."

Bella nodded, remembering how they had searched for Renesmee at first; before Carlisle lied to them that she had died. "But she never came home."

"No…" Jacob took a deep breath. "She told Carlisle she didn't want to leave Charlie…that it was easier for everyone to think she had died, so everyone could move on. She was so stubborn…Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme all begged her to change her mind but she wouldn't…and they knew they couldn't force her, so they didn't try."

Bella nodded again, slowly starting to understand why Renesmee had not returned home sooner.

"Anyway…after that, she started to get…mean. She was angry a lot of the time." Jacob's voice seemed to lower and his eyebrows creased together, as if whatever images were running through his mind hurt. "At first, Charlie chalked it up to teenage stuff…but I knew her better. Nes had never had a temper before and then it seemed uncontrollable. One day, at the reservation, Seth accidently hit her with a baseball he was tossing and she almost ripped his throat out." Jacob swallowed hard.

"Oh…poor Seth." Bella seemed genuinely horrified.

Jacob shrugged. "He was okay. When I finally calmed her down, I got her talking about why she was so mad, and she explained…how she felt that you and Edward gave up on her…that you didn't really look for her, and that was why she told Carlisle she couldn't come home to you."

"What?" Bella was so confused. "Of course we looked for her! I was sick over it…"

"Well, Nessie doesn't think you looked _hard_ enough. She said she was in such an obvious place…with Charlie, but you were too busy to check on your own dad to even see that." Jacob closed his eyes as he spoke, knowing his words were cutting Bella like a knife.

"Jacob…we did." Bella felt like she needed to prove herself to the wolf.

Jacob opened his eyes wide. "I know you did, because I know you and Edward, and I know how much you loved Renesmee…that's just how she feels."

"So that is why she is so angry all the time?" Bella concluded. "Because she thinks we didn't love her enough to keep looking?" It was hard for Bella to swallow, but she could also sort of see where Renesmee was coming from.

Jacob shook his head slightly. "Not completely. I mean, after she explained herself to us all, we understood it and she got better…brighter. She seemed like herself again. I mean, here and there she would have a bad outburst but this anger and temper and…_roughness _about her…like she is broken. It all started again when you guys came back to be honest. I mean, I think seeing you just brought back all the feelings of hurt and abandonment for her. She really felt abandoned, Bella."

Bella shook her head. "I would never…"

"I know that." Jacob assured her. "And so will see…_one day_. Just give her some time. She is still your daughter, and deep down she is still the same Renesmee you saw seven years ago. Trust me; I've been here to see it all."

Bella nodded after a moment. "I hope your right."

"With Renesmee?" Jacob grinned. "I am never wrong." He wrapped a warm around Bella's cool skin. "Let's get back inside and wait for that daughter of yours…"

Bella smiled back at Jacob, feeling comfortable. "Sure." She liked the idea of going to wait for _her _daughter to return; the daughter she had missed more than her own heartbeat, the daughter she had loved more than her own life.

* * *

Renesmee arrived in Alaska in exactly twenty-four hours. She knew the Denali's were her one and only chance at gaining some allies to take on the Volturi with and that the next few hours would be critical to her plan of avenging Charlie's death.

She had an easy enough time finding the Denali's, able to pick up their scent almost immediately. Their scent was familiar to Renesmee, even though it had been years since she had smelt them.

She quickly hurried up the snow covered path to the huge log cabin buried deep in the woods. As she got closer to the house, she had to laugh a bit; the house made her think of Carlisle and how unnecessary it was for vampires to live in such true luxury.

Renesmee bounced up the stairs to the front door but then stopped, hesitating for a moment before knocking.

Within seconds the door swung opened and Renesmee was staring into the familiar eyes of Tanya Denali. She swallowed hard as she took in the beautiful vampire in front of her with the strawberry blonde hair.

Tanya slowly eyed Renesmee up and down as her sister Kate came to stand behind Tanya.

"Can I help you?" Tanya asked, her eyes critical on Renesmee. The girl in front of her looked familiar and Tanya knew she was not completely human, although she could not place her.

"I…uh…" Renesmee fumbled over her words for a moment, debating how to explain everything to Tanya. She took a deep breath, deciding to get it all out at once. "I'm Renesmee Cullen, you know my father, Edward and his family. You helped me out when I was little, and now I am coming to you again for help against the Volturi."

Tanya looked thoughtfully at Renesmee for a moment.

"She is lying, Tanya." Kate said. "Renesmee is dead." She recalled when Carlisle had called years ago and told them the tragic fate of his only grandchild.

"Carlisle lied to you." Renesmee said quickly, worried the Denali would turn her away.

Tanya looked Renesmee over. She instantly spotted the similarity in Renesmee and Edward's cheekbones and the crooked, nervous smile that was across Renesmee's face. However, the biggest similarity between Edward and Renesmee was the tussled poof of long bangs that Renesmee wore when her hair was pulled up. It was done exactly as Edward's hair was, messy and neat at the same time.

Tanya shook her head. "Who else would have hair like that, besides Edward's daughter?"

Renesmee was silently thankful that she had opted to pull her hair up today, instead of wear it down, with her side bangs straightened off her face. Under those circumstances, Renesmee was not sure that they Denali's would have so easily believed she was Edward's child. "Ha…yeah…the hair…" Her crooked grin widened.

Tanya turned to Kate, motioning to Renesmee. "How can you say that isn't Edward's smirk?"

After a moment, Kate nodded. "But Carlisle…"

"He lied." Renesmee repeated herself. "To protect me…it's a long story…but it's part of the reason I am here, and part of the reason I need your help."

Tanya nodded, not willing to turn anyone from the Cullen family away. Instead, she stepped aside to let Renesmee into her home before shutting the door behind the girl.

* * *

Hours passed and night fell, and still there was no sign of Renesmee. Jacob had hung around the Cullen's for the majority of the day, hoping his imprint would return with a much clearer head then she had left with, but as darkness fell outside Jacob realized there was a good chance he would not be seeing Renesmee.

All of the Cullen's and Jacob had assembled in the living room, mindlessly watching a basketball game on the television that Alice had already told them the outcome of.

"It's getting late." Emmett noted, looking outside as the stars began to appear in the moonless sky.

Jacob nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"When she is angry and takes off does she usually stay out this long?" Edward asked.

_No. Never. _Jacob said in his head to Edward, but nodded, noticing the worried look that dashed across Bella's stone-white face. "Usually."

Edward nodded, silently thanking Jacob for not saying the truth out loud; he did not want everyone in his family to be as worried as he was for Renesmee.

"Should we look for her?" Bella asked, trying to act like she was not worried, but not liking the feeling of no one having any idea where her long, lost and recently found daughter now was. All Bella kept thinking about was the ideal opportunity the Volturi would have to attack Renesmee, out there and alone, now.

"Bella, Alice has been watching the Volturi." Edward read his wife's mind. "They are not coming after Renesmee right now." He glanced over at Alice.

Alice nodded swiftly. "They are still in Italy, Bella. I promise."

"Still…" Bella stood, moving to the window and staring outside. "She is alone out there…"

"I can call Leah…maybe the pack knows something we don't." Jacob offered.

"Please do…" Bella requested.

"Sure." Jacob rummaged in the pocket of his cargo shorts until he found his cell phone, flipping it open and dialing Leah's number. After a few rings, she answered. "Leah…its Jake…no I haven't…oh…would you mind coming over? You and Seth? Great." He quickly shut the phone and turned to the rest of the vampires, knowing they had heard his conversation. "She is on her way over."

Everyone nodded, silent for a long minute or two before there was a knock on the door.

"That must be them." Jacob said.

Jasper nodded, and moved to the door, opening it to find both Seth and Leah Clearwater standing on the porch. "Come in." He stepped aside.

Leah and Seth both moved in the Cullen home, where Seth quickly moved toward Edward.

"Edward!" Seth smiled, shaking Edward's stone hand. He had been so busy with school, among other things, that this was the first time he had seen any of the Cullen's, and he was excited. He had always killed Edward.

"Seth." Edward grinned back, always having gotten along with Seth. "Good to see you."

"Wish it was under better circumstances…" Seth's smile faded and he turned to Bella. "Sorry about Charlie, Bella."

"Thanks, Seth." Bella smiled tightly at the youngest werewolf.

"So…no sign of Renesmee over here?" Leah changed the subject to the reason she and her younger brother had come to the Cullen's in the first place.

"No." Jacob sighed. "Not at all today. She never stopped by the reservation?"

"Not that we know of." Leah said, folding her arms across her chest. "We even went over your place, but Billy said she never stopped by."

Jacob just nodded, running his hand through his hair. "We should check the house…Charlie's place…"

"We kinda already did…" Seth admitted. "We have kinda been looking for her all day…we wanted to help out somehow."

"And?" Jacob looked at the younger werewolf.

Seth just shook his head, his eyes not meeting Jacob's.

It was getting too much for Bella to handle, even as an immortal. She turned to Jacob, her eye's accusing. "I thought you said she took off like this a lot?"

"Sometimes. So?" Jacob asked, confused.

"So if this is normal why were they out looking for her?" Bella pointed to Seth and Leah. "Why was the pack worried?"

Jacob's brow furrowed. He used to be able to read Bella so easily, but now, after seven years apart, he struggled with it. "I…uh…" He glanced toward Seth and Leah.

"This is worse than you are making it out to be…" Edward guessed.

"Maybe a little." Jacob admitted. "Renesmee has taken off, but never like this…never this long…not without telling at least one person."

"So you think she is in trouble?" Esme asked.

"She can handle herself." Leah assured Esme.

"We know that." Rosalie was worried for her niece, almost as much as Bella was. "We have seen her in action…"

"Well then…" Leah stepped forward, never a huge fan of Rosalie.

"Let's stay focused here." Carlisle stepped in, turning to Seth. "Did you check Charlie's old place…in Forks? Sometimes she used to go over there to get away from everything."

"Uh…ha…yeah…" Seth nodded nervously.

"And…" Carlisle pressed.

"We found her Escalade there…but no Renesmee." Leah turned to Carlisle and then Jacob.

"She left her car?" Jacob was shocked. Renesmee loved that car almost as much as she loved him.

"Well…she wasn't with it." Seth's laugh seemed to get stuck in his throat.

"That's not like her…" Jacob's brow furrowed.

"Do you think something happened?" Bella turned to Jacob, her golden eyes bearing into his big brown ones, trying to read him the way she used to, years ago, when things were so much less complicated between them. "Jake?"

Jacob looked away, but he knew it was too late; he had caught a glimpse of the old Bella,_ his_ Bella, and he could never lie to her. "I'm not sure…its possible…it's just not like her to leave her truck behind…or to not show up somewhere by now."

Bella nodded, her stone arms wrapping around her own body, as if she were holding herself together.

Jacob had seen Bella like that before, when she was human, when Edward had left her; she used to hold her chest, as if she were trying to keep herself in one piece. In one quick stride, Jacob was across the room wrapping warm arms around the cold statue that was his best friend. "Bella…don't worry. We will find her." He looked to Edward with pleading eyes.

Edward moved toward Bella, allowing Jacob to transfer her weight into his waiting arms. Once Edward had a grasp on Bella he kissed her head softly. "Jacob is right, Bella."

"What if we don't?" Bella asked. "What if we lost her again?"

"You didn't lose her." Jacob said, with confidence. He was sure Renesmee was not lost, or in any real danger, because he was connected to her in so many ways. He was sure, if she was in any type of pain or jeopardy, he would feel it in his bones; he always had in the past. "Trust me…wherever she is, she is fine."

"For all we know, she was just more upset then anyone though." Leah offered. "She will be back soon enough. She would never miss Charlie's…uh…" Her voice trailed off.

Jacob nodded. "Leah is right. No matter how upset Nessie is, or where she is…she won't miss Charlie's funeral. She will be back soon."

"She only has forty-eight hours then." Rosalie said, having set the time and place for the funeral earlier that day with Esme.

"She will be here." Jacob said. "But we will keep looking."

"We will all look." Edward offered. "I doubt she went far."

Jacob nodded in agreement, turning toward Seth and Leah. "We should head back to the reservation, incase Nes show's up."

Leah and Seth nodded, both moving out of the Cullen's home with a wave.

"If you hear anything, Jacob…" Carlisle started.

"I'll call. I promise. Same with you?" Jacob asked.

"Of course." Carlisle nodded.

Jacob nodded in return and then was also out of the Cullen's home, leaving the six vampires in an eerie silence, all of their thoughts on the lost member of their family; all of their focus on Bella and Edward's daughter.

* * *

Renesmee made her way into the extravagant home of the Denali clan. Kate and Tanya appeared to be the only members home, although Renesmee remembered many more when they had come to her aid years earlier.

"Everyone else is out hunting." Tanya said, as if she could read Renesmee's thoughts.

"Oh." Renesmee nodded as the group moved into the kitchen. Renesmee could tell, immediately, that this kitchen, like the Cullen's, was just for show. Nothing on any of the counters looked like it had ever been touched.

"What do we owe this pleasant visit to?" Tanya asked.

"Better question…what do you mean Carlisle lied to us?" Kate asked.

Renesmee sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I never died…Carlisle and Esme gave me to…Bella's father…to take care of me, or keep me safe and in order to do that, everyone had to think I was really gone."

"How could a human keep you safe?" Kate asked.

"Out of sight, out of mind. The Volturi were after me…when the Cullen's no longer had me the Volturi seemed to assume I was dead, or that's what Carlisle thought." Renesmee continued. "But, they came back…everyone did. The Cullen's first…then the Volturi."

"So…what? The Volturi are after you again?" Tanya deducted.

"Well…yeah." Renesmee nodded.

"How do we know you are telling the truth?" Kate asked.

"Do you think I would come all the way up from Washington to tell you a lie?" Renesmee asked. "I came for help…because you are the closest thing I have to an extended family…and because I figured you would want revenge for…well for your sister…"

"We do." Tanya said instantly. "And in my own time I will get even with Caius." Tanya stiffened as she said the name of his sister's killer.

"Well…they killed Charlie." Renesmee said. "My…grandfather. And I am going to get even now, so maybe it's time you do to."

"They killed your grandfather…" Tanya nodded. "And I understand the grief and pain a death like that can bring, but why are your parents not helping you, or any of the Cullen's for that matter?"

"They don't know I am here. They don't want me going after the Volturi." Renesmee explained.

"Probably because you will get yourself killed." Kate said.

"Probably." Renesmee rolled her eyes. "But that doesn't matter to me…not right now. I need to…to go there, to handle this. Charlie was the only family I have…"

"You have all of the Cullen's." Tanya said.

Renesmee shook her head. "No. I don't even know them, they don't know me. And what difference does it matter really? The Volturi are after me, its only a matter of time before they catch me. Maybe, if I go there and take them by surprise I have a better chance."

"Or you will die quicker." Kate snorted.

"Not if I have some help…" Renesmee looked up hopefully, sporting the crooked grin she had gotten from Edward.

Tanya sighed. "You would be willing to go to the Volturi and kill them for killing a human?"

"My grandfather." Renesmee corrected Tanya. "And yes…he was family. I won't live forever knowing that the Volturi took him from me before his time. The hate I have for them…I just can't even control it…"

"I know the feeling. I have wanted to crush at least Caius for some time now." Tanya said.

"So you will help me?" Renesmee asked, hopeful.

Tanya shook her head. "Not in the way you want me to. This is your own fight against the Volturi…I will get my chance…"

Renesmee shrugged, hanging her head slightly. "I understand." And she did, she knew this visit had been a long shot.

"But I won't just feed you to the dogs either." Tanya added.

Renesmee looked up, her brow creasing. "What do you mean?"

"Well…you would need to be able to get close enough to the Volturi without them sensing you, or you are as good as dead…especially when Aro is so obsessed with your…_blood_." Tanya said.

"And you have an idea about how to get close to them?" Renesmee guessed, glad Tanya would help her a little.

Tanya nodded. "Did you know Carlisle has a collection of vampire venom?"

Renesmee shook her head, unsure why that fact was important. "No."

"Ah…" Tanya grinned. "Well trust me, he does..and that will be important…"

Renesmee's brow pulled together, slightly confused by what plan Tanya seemed to be developing, but also rather intrigued.


	17. I Have a Plan

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 16**

Renesmee sat across from Tanya, waiting for the vampire to explain the plan that had something to do with a venom storage that Carlisle had.

"So…I have an idea that may help you." Tanya began. "You would need to get close to the Volturi…but have them not want to attack you."

"Which would be impossible with that heart beat." Kate added, motioning to Renesmee from behind Tanya.

"Or with the appeal of your blood, especially to Aro." Tanya continued.

"Well, those are two factors I can't really control…" Renesmee sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"That may not be exactly the case." Tanya said. "When we came to stand witness for you years ago, Carlisle and I spoke briefly of options. He explained to me that he had a venom storage, and that he thought there would be a way to make you seem like a waste of energy to the Volturi. He had a theory, in case Aro did consider you a threat, to pump you with venom."

"What? So I would be a vampire too?" Renesmee asked, her brow pulling together.

"Not exactly." Tanya continued. "You see, Carlisle believes that, since you are half vampire, the venom would only effect your human half, and wouldn't last long, with your temperature being so high, the venom would probably burn off within hours, but it would last long enough to keep your heart still and your blood from pumping..."

"So it would kill me?" Renesmee interjected.

"Please stop interrupting and let me finish my plan." Tanya was growing impatient.

"Sorry…" Renesmee mumbled.

"Anyway, since you are half vampire, Carlisle theorizes that you do not exactly need your heart to beat all the time…that we could stop it for a little and you would fair pretty well." Tanya said.

"So then…once the venom wears off I would be back to myself?" Renesmee asked.

Tanya nodded. "That is the theory. Pump you with venom, essentially make you a vampire, and then let it wear off and you return to your little hybrid-self."

"But why does Carlisle think my temperature would burn the venom out of my system?" Renesmee asked.

"Because…although you are not venomous, you have some of Edward in you, and therefore you do hold some venom somewhere in your system and it has not killed you yet. Plus, your temperature runs around the same as one of those werewolf friends of yours…Carlisle knows that as long as they are not exposed to tons of venom that their systems eventually burn our venom off."

Renesmee nodded after a moment. If she could get the Volturi to think she was a vampire, she could get close enough to them to kill Jane and whoever else got in her way. Now, all she needed was some venom. "So I just need to get venom from Carlisle…"

"Well…this is all theory…there is no way for sure to know if any of this would work." Tanya reminded Renesmee.

"It seems worth the try." Renesmee gave a small, crooked grin before yawning a bit, realizing for the first time just how tired she actually was.

"Before you head home, please spend the night and get some rest." Tanya stood. "I know you need sleep…and you must be exhausted."

"I am, actually." Renesmee agreed, yawning again.

"Good. Then stay the night…our couch is all we can offer but it is better than nothing. You can head back in the morning." Tanya told her.

Renesmee nodded, too tired to argue and not exactly in the biggest rush to get back to Cassleville. She was still unsure of how to deal with everything going on back there, and she was not sure how she would feel being there without Charlie.

* * *

The sun rose over the Cullen's home and none of them moved from the living room. They all sat or stood, frozen like beautiful statues of Greek gods. None of them had moved an inch for almost six hours, all waiting for Renesmee to return. She had been gone for almost two days now and everyone was seriously starting to worry.

A knock on the door broke their train of silent, shared thoughts.

"Renesmee?" Bella turned her head quickly to the door.

"It's just some of the pack." Edward sighed, but unfroze himself. "Come in!" He called out.

A second later, Jacob, Leah, Seth, and Sam came pounding into the living room. They were all dressed in more than normal with the three boys wearing shirts and ties and Leah in a black dress.

"Uh…what are you guys doing?" Seth asked, noticing the Cullen's were not exactly dressed properly for the afternoon. "Charlie's funeral is in two hours."

"We have been waiting for Renesmee." Edward answered.

Jacob sighed. He was not exactly worried, knowing that although Renesmee had taken off longer then anytime before she had also been upset longer then anytime before. "Yeah…we scouted for her all morning…"

"And?" Bella was hopeful Jacob and the wolves had better luck than her family had.

Jacob just shook his head. "No sign of her."

"Great…" Bella sighed and instantly Edward's arms were around her, trying his best to calm her nerves.

"What if something happened to her?" Rosalie asked suddenly. She too, was worried about Renesmee, but she, unlike everyone else had the nerves to say what everyone else was truly thinking.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "She is not hurt."

"How do we know?" Rosalie pressed. "Alice can't see her…no one knows where she is…"

"I could never see her." Alice reminded her sister.

"I know that. That is what I mean; if something happened to her we wouldn't even know…" Rosalie said.

"Nothing happened to her." Jacob repeated, much more assertive.

"Jake's right, Nes can take care of herself." Leah chimed in.

Emmett nodded in agreement. "I believe that. I am sure she is fine; she seems tough."

"She is." Jacob nodded.

"Still…why can't we find her?" Bella asked. "What if Rose is right? If something happened…" Bella shuddered at the thought of losing her daughter again.

"Bella, if Jacob says nothing happened, I am sure he is right." Edward tried to reassure his wife. He was able to read Jacob's thoughts and could tell Jacob was not really worried yet, which made him feel like they had no reason to worry, _yet_.

"But the funeral is today…" Bella said, and then turned to Jacob. "You said she would be at the funeral..."

"She _will _be at the funeral." Jacob assured them. "Nes wouldn't miss that…"

"Do you really think so?" Bella sounded hopeful, worried about her missing daughter. She did not understand how, but with all of the worry, Bella actually thought she felt tired for the first time in her vampire life.

"Nes loved Charlie like no other. She won't miss this." Leah echoed Jacob's earlier statement. She knew Renesmee well, even considered her one of her best friends; she knew Renesmee well enough to know she would never miss her chance to say goodbye to Charlie.

"We should get ready." Esme said, trying to get everyone moving and their minds off of the missing member of their family. "We don't have much time. I am sure people have already begun to arrive at the church…"

"Embry, Quil and Paul are over there already greeting everyone along with Billy and Sue." Sam explained. "So that part is taken care of."

"Thank you." Carlisle nodded at Sam, his voice full of sincerity.

"Still…you guys should probably get dressed." Seth said.

"Probably right." Edward said. "Bella? Would you mind going to lay out my suit?"

"Uh…sure…" Bella seemed half in a daze as she disappeared up the stairs in an instant, with her vampire speed.

Jacob shuddered as he watched Bella. "I don't know if I will ever get used to her being able to do that…"

"She is worried." Edward spoke of Bella, ignoring Jacob's joke. "She won't hold up well at the funeral if Renesmee doesn't show up."

"Do we think she won't show?" Emmett asked, looking at Jacob.

Jacob gave a nervous half smile. "Honestly? Who knows with her? I thought she would show…that she wouldn't miss this…but then again I didn't think she would go missing for two days…"

Edward turned his attention to Jasper, who was standing in the corner by Alice. "Jasper? Would you mind…helping me out with Bella at the funeral. In case Renesmee doesn't show?"

Jasper nodded, understanding Edward's request. "I will try my best to keep her calm…but I am sure she will notice me following her around after awhile…"

"I truly doubt that." Edward shook his head, sadly. Bella had seemed so out ever since they had found out about Renesmee he was sure that a piano could fall through the ceiling and she would not even blink.

"Come on…lets just get ready. Whether or not Renesmee shows up, we still need to do this for Charlie." Esme said, her voice full of love and care.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Esme. The Cullen's all quickly darted to get dressed for the funeral while the members of the wolf pack took off toward the church where Charlie's service was being held.

* * *

Aro had called all of the members of the Volturi together because he had made his decision; he knew what he wanted to do now. So, Caius, Marcus, Alec, Jane, Demetri and Felix all stood in front of him, awaiting orders.

"I have made my decision….regarding the lovely _Renesmee_…" Aro smiled as he spoke the name.

"Are we going to kill her yet?" Caius was growing board with Aro's games.

"We will…eventually." Aro assured them. "But I want to do it in the comforts of my own home." He motioned around the extravagant hall they stood in.

"So we track her down and bring her here?" Demetri smiled at the thought of hunting someone down.

"Not exactly." Aro said. "We are going to get her here…but by her own free will, that way, not even she can argue she belongs here."

"How are we going to do that?" Jane asked. "She would never just come here…"

"If she has a reason to, she will." Aro continued to smile. "So we shall give her all the reasons in the world…"

"What reasons?" Alec asked.

"Her family." Aro smiled. "She loved that mere human who had taken care of her deeply, imagine if she thought her entire family was in danger…"

"So what? Are we going to get all the Cullen's here?" Felix smiled, flexing his muscles. He was always ready for a good fight.

"We are." Aro smiled. "I will send you to go now…gather them…Renesmee will be forced to come here to save them…"

"You are counting on the idea that Renesmee is willing to die for them." Marcus said, remembering the relationship he had sensed Renesmee had with the Cullen's; it was one of hostility. "She may not be."

"She is a Cullen, deep down." Aro's smile only faded slightly. "They do not let any of their family go down without a fight from all of them. That will be there demise."

"So we get them here…and then we kill Renemsee?" Jane smiled at the idea of being able to watch Bella in pain as they took her daughter's life.

"And then we give the Cullen's the choice to stay with us. All of them are extraordinary…they will be useful." Aro said.

"They will refuse." Caius said, matter-of-factly.

"Then we kill them." Aro grinned again. "There is no need for such a large coven to exist anyway." In truth, Aro felt like he was dealing with two situations at once. He would take Renesmee's life, and be so strong and unstoppable from her blood, and he would dismember the second biggest vampire coven next to his own. In a few days, the Cullen's would no longer exist as a family.

* * *

Renesmee had left Alaska early in the morning. Running at her normal speed, the speed she had inherited from Edward, she made it to the boarder of Cassleville in no time. However, Renesmee was really in no rush to get back to the only family she had left and she was really in no rush to make Charlie's funeral; she had already said goodbye in the hospital, she didn't want to see him laying in a box, in a suit he would have hated wearing, waiting to be buried in the earth forever.

She had figured that it would take a lot of convincing to get Carlisle to allow her to pump herself with his venom supply and she knew it would take even more work to get Bella to let her do so. As much as Renesmee hated to admit it, she knew that her mother did care about her, just not enough in Renesmee's mind.

Renesmee shuddered at the thought of letting her guard down around Bella now. She could not, and would not let her mother back into her world. It was not as though she had forgotten how much she had loved Bella when she was little, it was the simple fact that she had loved Bella too much, and Bella had not loved her enough; not enough to look for her.

Suddenly, Renesmee's stomach growled and she realized it had been over twenty-four hours since she had last hunted. She stopped running and listened, easily picking up the scent of a mountain lion close by. She knew a nice hunt would distract her and take her a longer time to get back to Cassleville. If she was lucky, she would miss the funeral completely.

* * *

Bella and Edward were the last to arrive at the funeral because Bella had wanted to give Renesmee every second she could to show up at the Cullen's home. Of course, Renesmee never did, and Bella was heartbroken as she got out of Edward's Volvo, in front of the church, knowing that her daughter, Charlie's granddaughter, would not be there.

"You ready?" Edward pulled Bella close to him as they walked up the church steps, not worried about anyone noticing any differences, because the clouds were out. Truthfully, Edward expected no one except the wolves and his family to be there.

"I guess." Bella sighed, allowing Edward to open the doors to the church for them.

Once inside, both Bella and Edward were in shock. The church was filled with so many people. Practically the entire tribe from La Push was there, plus Charlie's friends from work and Forks as well as the Cullen's. As Bella scanned the crowd she was three faces that really stuck out to her; Renee, Jessica, and Mike were all there.

Bella was shocked; her mother looked so much older, and both Mike and Jessica had even aged, though Bella thought Jessica looked even prettier now, seven years from the last time she had seen them.

"Wow." Edward mumbled at the crowd.

"Charlie was easy to love."Bella said sadly, knowing she would have cried if she could have.

Edward just nodded, wrapping his arm around Bella and leading her to the first pew, where they sat between Jasper and Rosalie. Jasper moved even closer to Bella's side, trying his best to keep her claim as it seemed Renesmee would not show.

The funeral was beautiful and Bella could feel the desire to shed tears that would never come. She had kept her hand clamped on Edward, though no longer able to crush his fist. Her newborn strength had ended years ago. When the funeral was over, everyone seemed to line up to say they were sorry to Bella. In a sick way, it reminded her of her wedding day, as she and Edward stood side by side, thanking everyone for coming.

Seth was the first one to walk up to Bella and Edward. He immediately hugged Bella, squeezing her tightly and knowing he could not hurt her and then shook Edward's hand.

"I am so sorry." Seth told them both. "Charlie was a good person."

"Thank you, Seth." Bella smiled at him.

"My mom would have come…but…." Seth looked down. Losing Charlie had been hard on Sue. The two were so close.

"It's understandable." Edward told Seth, able to see the way Sue had reacted to losing Charlie through Seth's thoughts.

Next, Renee came up, hugging Bella and Edward both. Her eyes were tearstained, as if she had lost the love of her life, and in a way, Bella thought that was possible. Renee and Charlie had always cared about each other on so many levels, they had just married too young.

"Bella, baby...I've missed you." Renee could not stop crying as she took in the image of Bella. "And you haven't changed an ounce!" She glanced to Edward and then back to Bella. "Either of you! You look wonderful…"

"Thanks, Mom…" Bella said awkwardly, knowing in fact she had not changed. "And thank you for coming.."

"Of course. Despite everything, I loved Charlie." Renee said.

"I know you did." Bella nodded at her mother and looked around. "Where is Phil?"

"At home." Renee said. "I thought it best to come alone."

Edward read Renee's thoughts and clenched his jaw tight. Renee had only come alone because Phil had refused to come with her. He was angry at Bella for just cutting her off years ago, for not talking to her mother for seven years.

"I missed you, Mom." Bella smiled.

"I missed you too, honey." Renee smiled. "I wished it hadn't been so long since…well since I've seen you."

"I know. Me too." Bella nodded and meant it. She had missed her mother, but she knew this would probably truly be the last time she saw Renee.

"Where is R.E.?" Renee suddenly looked around.

"She…she isn't here." Edward answered because he could see Bella never would, as her jaw hung slightly opened at her mother's question.

"She isn't here?" Renee was visibly surprised. "But she and Charlie were inseparable…"

"She had to leave early." Esme seemed to float up to Edward, Bella, and Renee. "It was a lot for her." Esme knew lying to Renee was the only way to get her from asking so many questions.

"Of course…" Renee nodded. "She must be devastated…"

"She is…" Esme wrapped an arm around Renee and led her away, turning to nod to Edward's silent _thank you_ for giving Bella time to recover and talk to other people.

Next, Mike and Jessica moved toward Bella and Edward, almost mirroring the vampire couple, although visibly not as beautiful. Mike and Jessica's hands were clenched together in a similar manner to Bella and Edward's.

"Bella!" Jessica threw her arms around her former friend and shivered. "Geez…you're freezing."

"Yeah…been sick." Bella lied, shocked that Mike and Jessica were even in front of her. "Uh…thank you guys for coming."

"Sure thing." Mike nodded. "Sorry about your dad…he was a good man."

"Thanks, Mike." Bella nodded, noticing Mike had aged significantly, his hair a little longer, his face a little scruffier, and his stomach a little wider.

"Angela and Ben wanted us to send their condolences…" Jessica said. "They couldn't make it up from New Mexico."

"New Mexico?" Bella was surprised.

"Yeah, they moved there two years ago for Ben's job." Mike said. "We still keep in touch with them."

"Wow." Bella smiled; glad to hear Angela was happy. She had always liked Angela.

"Yeah." Mike nodded and then shifted his feet awkwardly, looking over his shoulder to see Jacob waiting eagerly with Billy. Mike made a face at Jacob, never really having liked him, always thinking Jacob had stolen his chance with Bella; little did Mike know Jacob only had eyes for Bella's daughter now. "We should go."

"Yeah. Sorry again." Jessica squeezed Bella once more. "You look fantastic, by the way. Like you haven't aged at all. I _must_ know your secret!"

"Stay out of the sun." Edward mused. "Keeps your skin from getting wrinkles."

Jessica made a face, and Edward could hear that she was deep in thought, contemplating if Edward's words were true. He had to stifled a laugh as he watched her and Mike walk away.

Jacob, pushing Billy, made his way toward Bella and Edward with Embry and Leah at his sides.

"No sign of Renesmee?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob!" Billy frowned at his son and then turned back to Bella. "First, I want to say I am so sorry about Charlie…he was my best friend…"

"I know, Billy." Bella gently touched Billy's hand. "Thank you for coming."

"You never had to ask." Billy told her, and then turned to his son. "Now, you can have your conversation."

"Sorry…" Jacob mumbled as he watched Billy wheel away, toward Sam and Paul who were in the corner of the church, talking to Alice and Carlisle.

"Anyway, no sign of her." Edward answered Jacob's question. "Have you guys…"

"We haven't picked up her trail at all…no sign of her by us either." Leah answered.

"I didn't think she would miss this…" Jacob sighed. He had never been wrong about Renesmee until today.

"She still has time to make it." Embry noted, as he checked his watch.

"Do you think she is okay?" Bella asked, folding her arms across her body as if to keep a chill that would never bother her away.

"I am sure she is…" Jacob said, though the doubt in his voice was easy to hear.

"Maybe we should look for her soon." Embry suggested. "Just in case…"

"Done." Emmett seemed to come out of nowhere. He had obviously been ease dropping. "Rose and I are going hunting tonight anyway…we will keep an eye out for her."

"And we can run the line." Jacob offered.

"We can run to Canada if that's what it takes." Leah added.

Edward nodded. "Yes…maybe it's time to start looking for her. Even if she is still grieving…"

"She would have been here." Jacob cut Edward off. "No matter what…I know her. She wouldn't miss this, she couldn't…"

"Then we look for her." Edward wrapped an arm around Bella, sensing her panic; he bent down to her ear. "It will be fine, love."

"Someone should stay behind…in case she comes back." Leah said. She knew, if Renesmee was not in danger, it was only a matter of time until she showed back up.

"We will do it." Edward said, looking at Bella and giving her a slightly tighter squeeze as if to silently ask her permission.

Bella sighed, nodding slightly. This was what she had wanted, to go off and find Renesmee, but the thought of her daughter hurt, or worse, only made Bella feel more uneasy. She half hoped to return home and find Renesmee on the couch with an excuse for not coming today; an excuse she could handle, losing her daughter again, she could not.

* * *

Edward, Bella, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper all arrived back to the Cullen's dark home. As promised, Emmett and Rosalie had gone hunting far north, and were looking for any sign of Renesmee.

Esme flicked on the lights in the living room and sighed. "That was a long day." She turned to look at Bella who was leaning into Edward, standing by the wall. "How are you holding up, sweetie?"

Bella nodded to Esme. "As best as I can."

Edward wrapped his arm more protectively around Bella, kissing her forehead. "Well Charlie is in a better place…and we will find Renesmee. After that…things can only get better."

"I'm just worried…if she is hurt…" Bella's voice faded.

"She is tough." Carlisle said. "Whatever held her up from coming to Charlie's funeral…I am sure _she_ had good reason. I don't, for a second, think she is in trouble."

"The Volturi…" Bella cringed at the thought that they might have gotten to Renesmee.

"I have been watching them." Alice smiled. "No plans to…" Suddenly her face went blank, anxious, and she was silent.

"Alice?" Jasper could feel the anxiety coming off of her in forceful waves. "What is it?"

"They are coming here." Alice's face was painted in panic as she glanced at Edward.

Immediately, Edward's expression matched Alice's, and if possible, he looked even paler.

"When?" Bella snapped, her eyes shooting back between Alice and Edward.

"Soon." Alice answered.

"Now." Edward said, his head wiping toward the door just as a knock rattled the front door.

"What?" Bella panicked.

"They are here." Edward repeated himself, trying to gain his composure.

"For what?" Bella asked.

Another rap came from the door.

"For us…" Edward answered, and automatically walked forward, opening the door to find Jane, Alec, Felix, and Demetri all standing at the front door.

"Took long enough." Jane impatiently stepped through the door, passing Edward in one stride as the rest of the members of the Volturi guard followed her. "Cullen's? Are you here?" Her childish voice only made her sound more sinister.

"Jane." Carlisle nodded as he watched her lead the Volturi into the living room, followed by Edward who immediately went to Bella's side.

"I am sure you know why we have come." Jane focused her attention on Edward, knowing he could read her thoughts.

"Renesmee is not here." Bella choked out.

Jane chuckled a bite. "Then good thing we have not come for her…"

"No…only to lure her to Aro." Edward shot back, through a clenched jaw.

"The mind reading trick is getting old." Alec told Edward. "Don't think we came here without being fully aware that _you _would understand our plan."

Edward said nothing, his jaw clenched and a growl ripping through his chest as he lunged into a protective stance in front of Bella; something he had not done since she had been human.

"Edward, please…" Carlisle motioned for Edward to stop and turned his attention back to the Volturi. "What can we help you with?"

"Aro has ordered us to take you back to Volterra with us." Jane said.

"By force…if necessary." Felix added with a slight grin as he folded his huge arms across his chest.

"No force will be necessary." Carlisle assured them. "Why does Aro request our services?"

"It's a trick, Carlisle!" Edward growled, reading the Volturi's thoughts even more clearly now. "They think by taking us they will be able to get Renesmee to come to our aid…right into Aro's grasp."

"You're daughter's blood belongs to Aro." Demetri said.

Bella was furious and frightened at the same time. "You will not touch her."

"Aro will get her eventually." Jane's eyes locked with Bella's, loving to see the pain in Bella's eyes, the pain that her powers could never inflict on the much younger vampire. "And she will pay…"

"She has nothing to pay for." Esme defended her grandchild. "The only thing she ever did was join this world…"

"She is not meant to exist." Alec narrowed his eyes. "Why do you not see this? She is an abomination…"

"She is the furthest thing from it!" Bella growled.

"It does not matter. Her blood calls to Aro and he shall have it. Just like he calls you all to join him now." Jane said, very businesslike.

"Like hell we are going…" Edward growled. He was ready to fight; he would not chance on leading Renesmee to her own death, assuming she would even follow after her family. Edward was, honestly not sure if that would even happen, if Renesmee had forgiven the Cullen's for everything enough to try to save them.

"Edward…" Carlisle seemed to warn and then turned to Jane. "When do we leave?"

"What? Carlisle…" Edward started.

"Edward, we do what Aro requests…" Carlisle narrowed his eyes at Edward. In the back of his mind, he had a feeling that Renesmee would never follow them, never come to save them, and Carlisle was okay with that, as long as his granddaughter was safe.

Edward read Carlisle's thoughts and immediately relaxed his stance. He knew, if Renesmee did come back, that the Cullen's could not be a threat to her, and that meant they needed to do all the Volturi wanted them to do. "Fine…"

"Edward?" Bella's eyes were frantic.

"It's fine, love." Edward kissed her forehead once more. "It will all be fine."

"Yes it will." Jane agreed, a sinister smile dancing across her lips. "Now let us go." She motioned for the six Cullen's to follow her.

Edward, Bella, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme all followed the Volturi out of their house and into the dark night, all of the vampire's thoughts lost in their own head that they missed an important fact. Even Edward, his mind trying to wrap completely around Carlisle's decision to avoid fighting and go to Italy, missed the thoughts that shouted at him.

Seth had been crouching low, outside the Cullen's home for most of the Volturi's brief visit. He had originally gone over to tell Edward they had found no sign of Renesmee, but then he had smelt the other vampire's and heard the conversation taking place inside the Cullen's home. Seth knew everything, and so he stayed crouched low, in his wolf form, ready to hurry home to tell Jacob the second he could about what had happened to the Cullen's and what the Volturi's plan for Renesmee was.

* * *

Renesmee had taken down a mountain lion and a deer before she even contemplated heading back to Cassleville. She knew, after cleaning herself up, that it was time to return and to face the family she would only know for a little longer. She was certain, if she could convince Carlisle to give her the venom, she still had a slim chance of making it away from the Volturi alive, but if she could take Jane down, make her pay for Charlie's untimely death, then Renesmee knew she could die in peace;_ finally_ the pain she had felt so long, of never belonging anywhere, of never really being wanted would end.

Renesmee decided to stop by Forks before she headed back to the Cullen home. She needed to pick up her truck, so she sprinted to Charlie's old house, the one he had when Bella still lived with him, the one Carlisle had brought her to years ago.

Renesmee avoided looking at the house, it brought back to many good memories of Charlie. She could not bear to think of Charlie really being gone, of never seeing him again. She quickly jumped into her Escalade and sped off to the Cullen home, making it there in record time.

When she pulled up the driveway, Renesmee was greeted by the house, brightly lit.

"Guess everyone is home…" Renesmee mumbled to herself, not ready to deal with the vampire's inside. She did not want to nor did she feel the need to explain her absence to them, although she was sure they would press her for a reason.

She jumped out of her car and sprang up the front steps, two at a time, before busting through the door. She was certain all would be waiting for her in the foyer when she came in, and was surprised when no one was.

"Uh…hello?" Renesmee called out, moving into the kitchen to find it empty. "Anyone here?" She moved into the living room and that was when a familiar scent hit her. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth hung opened a little as she inhaled a deeper breath to be certain. She could recognize that scent anywhere, the Volturi had been there in that room and recently.

Renesmee's first instinct was to run, as far and as fast as possible, but not away from the scent. She wanted to follow it, to get to the Volturi as quickly as possible. All she needed first was the venom that Carlisle supposedly had stored away. She knew her time was limited, if the Cullen's were coming back from wherever they had been soon they would try to stop her, she could not allow that.

Suddenly, the back door opened and Renesmee realized whatever time she thought she had to gather the materials she needed was over. Rosalie and Emmett came through the door in four swift seconds.

"Renesmee?" Rosalie stopped short, shock written all over her face as she stared at her niece.

"Uh…yeah…" Renesmee shuffled her feet and looked at the floor.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rosalie asked.

"Uh…well…" Renesmee started.

Suddenly, Emmett growled. "Someone was here…"

Rosalie took a sniff of the air and recognized the scent immediately. Her eyes quickly narrowed. "The Volturi."

"You smell them too?" Renesmee nodded, knowing it made sense that vampires would recognize such a pronounced scent.

"They trail is fresh." Emmett moved further into the house and then turned to Renesmee. "Are they still here?"

"No…" Renesmee shook her head, and then looked around Rosalie and Emmett. "Where is everyone else?"

"They were supposed to come here…after the funeral…" Rosalie said, her voice growing softer in confusion. "We went hunting…"

"But they aren't here." Renesmee stated.

"They were." Emmett bounced around the room, rumbling everything as he stepped hard, sniffing the air that led him to the front door. "The scents are all mixed up."

This time, the front door opened quickly.

"Bella? Edward?" Rosalie called out.

"No." Jacob was in the room instantly with Sam and Seth at his sides. His eyes immediately flicked to Renesmee and relief smoothed over his hard face. "Nessie?"

"Jake." Renesmee smiled and moved toward Jacob, hugging him as tight as she could and kissing him as passionately as possible.

"You're back." Jacob smiled, inhaling the sweet scent of his imprint.

Renesmee just nodded, knowing she would only be back for a little bit, and then there was a chance she would never see Jacob again. She knew, losing his imprint, would crush him. She felt a little selfish, taking away his happiness like that but she could not help it; she did not want to be the only thing that made Jacob Black want to live.

"Enough, Jacob." Sam said, although it was not an order; he could never order Jacob around again.

"Sorry." Jacob pulled away from Renesmee, his eyes very serious as he glanced to Emmett and Rosalie. "We have a problem."

"Let me guess, the Volturi?" Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"They were here." Seth said.

"I know. We smell them." Rosalie waved her hand through the air.

"Well…they took everyone with them." Seth continued. "I was outside watching…"

"What? Why?" Emmett demanded, immediately ready for a fight. No one took his family from him.

"From what I gathered, they are using the rest of your family as bate." Seth said, and looked over at Renesmee. "They think you will go save them…so they can kill you."

"What?" Renesmee shook her head in disbelief, but her shoulder's tensed a bit. "I don't even…I don't even know my family. Why would the Volturi think I would risk my neck for them?"

"Because you would…and you will…" Jacob suddenly took a step away from Renesmee as if in shock. "Wouldn't you?"

"I…" Renesmee could not answer Jacob's question. She was sure she was mad at her parents for not ever finding her, mad at her grandparents for coming back into her life, mad at her aunts and uncles for not recognizing her, but would she condemn them to death? She knew instantly she could not. Regardless of how angry she was or how little the Cullen's had seemed to love her in the past, Renesmee knew she could not let any more of her family die.

"It's a suicide mission…" Jacob cut her off.

Renesmee thought for a moment, and her eyes narrowed as she thought of Tanya's plan. She knew, if she had enough help, it might not be a suicide mission for anyone. She knew, if she didn't go Jacob's pack would try to save the rest of the Cullen's and so would Rosalie and Emmett. Renesmee could not have any of their deaths on her hands. The only death she wanted to be responsible for was Jane's.

"Maybe not…" Renesmee suddenly gave a crooked grin.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked.

"I have a plan." Renesmee continued to grin.


	18. Setting Things in Motion

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 17**

Renesmee stood in the middle of the living room of the Cullen home while Jacob, Sam, Seth, Emmett, and Rosalie seemed to wrap a circle around her; all impatient, all waiting to hear what she had to say.

"So I have a plan…" Renesmee began. "It may be dangerous and sound crazy, but I think its going to work."

"What?" Jacob pressed, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Well...when I left here I went to the only place I could think of that had people angry enough with the Volturi to help me kill at least Jane…" Renesmee started.

"Who the hell is nuts enough to do that?" Emmett asked.

"The Denali." Rosalie answered for Renesmee, able to put Renesmee's story together faster than anyone else in the room.

Renesmee nodded, and then continued. "Well…they didn't want to help in this. They said they would wait to deal with Caius in their own time, but they did give me a safe way to get close enough to the Volturi that I had a fighting chance of killing Jane."

"What _way_?" Jacob did not like where this plan was going. He could not stand to imagine Renesmee in such immediate danger.

"Well, if I were to try to get anywhere near the Volturi without them noticing or wanting to kill me I had to give off no indications that I was my normal self." Renesmee scanned the eyes of her listeners. "And what are the one thing that the Volturi would never want to kill unless they had to…the one kind of _people_ who they respect?"

"Other vampires?" Seth answered, though it sounded more like a question.

"Exactly." Renesmee smiled.

"What? No! Absolutely not! You are not being turned into a vampire!" Jacob jumped to conclusions, his body beginning to shake with anger at the thought.

"Relax, Jake." Renesmee put a hand up at her boyfriend. "I'm not saying that."

"Well then, what are you saying? Because that is what it sounds like." Sam spoke up before anyone else could.

"I would just have to be disguised as a vampire." Renesmee explained. "Tanya thinks there is a way to do it…"

"How? How on earth could we make you anything like us?" Rosalie asked.

"Tanya and Carlisle discussed it in the past. They think that if you pump my system with enough vampire venom then I would seem like one of you. They think it would stop my heart for a little, change my scent, make me seem cold…but that my high internal temperature would eventually burn it off…kinda like a wolfs." Renesmee glanced to Jacob, Seth, and Sam.

"Yeah, expect stopping your heart would kill you." Jacob protested.

"No." Renesmee shook her head, her blonde curls swaying in her low ponytail. "They think because I am part vampire, because of…_Edward_…that I would be okay, at least for a little. So all we have to do is pump me up with venom and I can get close enough to the Volturi…we all can. No one would really be unable to defend themselves. We could say everyone and I could kill Jane."

"Yeah, and then we all die." Rosalie shook her head. "Renesmee, it's a suicide mission."

"It's that or we let our…_family_…die." Renesmee choked on her words as they felt like acid dripping from her tongue. Family to her had meant Charlie, not the Cullen's.

"She has a point." Emmett looked to Rosalie.

"No, Rosalie is right. It's a dumb idea." Jacob said, his motives to keep Renesmee as safe as possible. "And how do we know the vampire venom won't kill you?"

"Exactly." Rosalie was almost surprised at herself for agreeing with Jacob; but in the past they had always and only agreed on the things that were best for Renesmee.

"Well, we can't let them all die." Seth said. "Maybe Renesmee has a point…"

"So its two against two then?" Jacob's eyes narrowed at Seth and Emmett before turning to Sam. "You're call Sam."

"Wait! Don't I get a vote?" Renesmee asked, realizing her plan had become an election.

"No!" Jacob and Rosalie said at the same time.

Sam sighed, as all eyes turned to him. He looked at Renesmee and then at the ground before looking up at Jacob. "If Renesmee's plan works, we would all be safe and we could save them…and take out a few of those Volturi. I have to say, on this one, I am going with her."

Renesmee grinned as Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Are you kidding me? This is a suicide mission!" Jacob growled.

"Relax, dog." Rosalie touched Jacob's shoulder lightly and turned to Renesmee. "Well…even if this is how we plan on doing this…you won't get a drop of my venom to hurt yourself."

"Don't worry…" Renesmee grinned. "Carlisle has a stash of venom upstairs." Her eyes turned to Emmett, and became big and sad, like puppies eyes. "Uncle Emmett, can you help me look for it?"

Emmett could not help but grin as he heard the name Renesmee had called him. Clearly, she had done it only to get to his heartstrings and it worked. He quickly nodded his head and bounded down the hall to Carlisle's office with Renesmee quickly following him, leaving Rosalie, Jacob, Seth, and Sam in the living room.

"This is going to be bad." Rosalie sighed. "I hope me and Emmett are enough to take care of her on this insane plan of hers…"

"Don't think you are going alone." Jacob eyed her. "If Nes is going, so am I. I can't ask the whole pack to go but I can't leave her alone like that either."

"Well, I am coming to!" Seth immediately exclaimed. He was too close to Edward to let the vampire he considered a true friend possibly be murdered.

"I have to consult with my pack…and I'll speak with yours, Jacob." Sam told them. "I'll be back soon." He quickly made his way out the door.

Jacob just nodded as he watched Sam leave before letting out a sigh and tossing himself on the Cullen's couch, clearly defeated. To his surprise, Rosalie joined him, the same anxious look on her face.

* * *

Jane, Demetri, Felix, and Alec had led Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Jasper, and Alice through the underground passages to their home in Volterra. They were quickly led to the Great Room that Edward and Bella had been in years early, when Bella had come to save Edward. To Bella, Edward, and Alice, the room looked exactly as it had years ago. Aro even sat in the same chair with his legs crossed the same way, Marcus and Caius on his sides.

"Ahh, you have done well, my dear ones." Aro praised Jane, Alec, Felix, and Demetri.

"Thank you, master." Jane bowed to Aro and moved away from the Cullen's.

"And Carlisle, so good to see you again my friend. I wish it were under better circumstances." Aro sighed, standing and moving down the steps toward the members of the Cullen family.

"You had to right bringing us here, Aro." Carlisle said, his voice extremely cold for his usual manner.

Aro frowned a bit. "If only you were not so stubborn…if I had been given what I wanted in the first place I would not have to seek it out now."

"You never had a right to Renesmee." Bella spat at Aro, her anger rising within.

Aro turned to Bella, his eyes wide. He moved gracefully to her, gently caressing her cheek as he watched her flinch at his touch. "Young Bella, always so strong when it comes to your daughter...do you not see her existence as condemned you to death?"

"You won't kill any of us and get away with it." Edward told him. "People will know how unjust you were."

"No one will even miss you." Aro smiled at Edward and moved toward the vampire, lightly touching his face, and instantly seeing every memory, every thought, Edward had ever had. He could see all that had happened in the past seven years as clear as day. It made him smile wider.

"You would be surprised how much our family will." Alice glared at Aro.

Suddenly Aro's smile faded as he looked at the Cullen's. Counting silently in his head, Aro fiercely turned to Jane, Alex, Demetri, and Felix. "Two of them are missing!"

"We collected all that were in the house." Demetri assured him. "That is what you requested of us."

"I requested the Cullen family! Not half of them!" Aro was furious, knowing Emmett and Rosalie were missing.

"This is why we should have destroyed them years ago…" Caius seemed pleased with the miscalculation on the guard part.

"We can always go back and retrieve the other two…" Alec offered.

Suddenly, Aro regained his composure and turned back to the Cullen's with a smile. "I don't think that will be necessary. These ones do love each other, I am sure the other Cullen's are on their way now."

"I am sure you are right." Carlisle nodded. "But they will not have Renesmee with them."

"I highly doubt that." Aro turned back toward Bella. "A daughter would never let her mother die…"

Bella looked away at Aro's words, unsure if they were true. Renesmee seemed to hate her, for all she knew she would let her die then and there. Bella wouldn't blame her though, or care, because if Renesmee never came to save them then she would never be in danger. She could just keep running from the Volturi, and remain alive. That was all Bella had ever wanted for her daughter.

"She does not feel a strong bond to the child…" Marcus's voice was full of boredom as he spoke of Bella's ideas about Renesmee. "The child may not come."

Aro turned back to Bella and then Edward. "Intriguing…the child you would all die for would not die for you?"

"She has her reasons." Edward spat. "So keeping us here won't bring her."

Aro shrugged. "No matter. Now, Cullen family, can I trust you all to be good and not try to hurt anyone?"

"You can trust us as far as you can throw us." Jasper threatened.

"I would actually be able to throw you quite far." Aro sighed. "Oh well…Felix, chain them up." Aro motioned to the set of chains on the wall as he moved up the steps to his throne, Marcus and Caius at his sides.

"Surely." Felix moved, with Demetri and Alec, like cougars, skillfully and forcefully. The three of them chained up all of the members of the Cullen family with chains made of thick medal, making it hard for even a vampire to crack them.

"This is ridiculous." Edward snarled as Alec chained him next to Bella. "You are wasting your time…no one is coming to save us."

"Then you die here." Aro smiled, genuinely. "It will be a great lose to lose _all_ of you though…" His eyes scanned Bella, Edward, and Alice in particular. "Perhaps, if young Renesmee does not come for you, we can arrange an agreement with some of you, it would be a waste to end all of your lives."

"Not a chance." Bella growled, through a clenched jaw. She knew exactly who Aro wanted, who he had always been after. The only ones who would get the choice to join him, to live, if Renesmee did not come, would be herself, Edward, and Alice.

"So silly…" Aro sighed. "You would rather die in defiance then live as a god."

"You are not gods." Esme spoke softly, though her words were harsh, especially for her. "And no one will ever see you as them, especially after what you plan here."

Aro smiled, wickedly at Esme. "You love your family too much. You think others will feel the same, when really, you will die in vain. I can promise you that."

Aro then sat back down in his seat, preparing to wait for Renesmee as long as possible. He knew that the Cullen's did not think that Renesmee would come to their aid but he knew better. He knew that, no matter what Renesmee wanted her family to think, she was raised to do the right thing, and he had put her in a position where the only right thing would be to come to their aid; to allow him to kill her for her blood.

* * *

Renesmee and Emmett tore Carlisle's office apart looking for the stash of venom Tanya swore Carlisle had. Emmett ripped the close apart while Renesmee concentrated on the desk.

"Come on you two…Carlisle will be so angry when he comes back if you ruin his office." Rosalie's voice filled the room as she, Jacob, and Seth answered.

Renesmee looked up, a crooked smile on her face. "So you changed your minds?"

"As long as there is no way to stop you, we are coming." Jacob told his imprint as he crossed his large arms over his broad chest. He did not like the idea of Renesmee possibly getting hurt, or even killed, but he also knew if she had an idea in her head she would follow it through.

"Excellent." Emmett grinned. He was ready for the fight.

"There are some rules though…" Rosalie warned, glancing at Renesmee. "I know you do not exactly like us right now but I am still your aunt and as long as we are going to Italy we are going to do some things my way…"

Renesmee looked at Emmett who just shrugged. For some reason, Renesmee felt like she could trust Emmett more than anyone else. She found it ironic because he was the biggest, scariest of all the Cullen's yet she felt comfortable around him. From what she could remember of her childhood with the Cullen's, her Uncle Emmett had always been the fun one, like a big teddy bear.

"Fine…" Renesmee turned back to her aunt Rosalie. Something about Rosalie's tone made Renesmee want to listen to her; even if she was not fond of her family, Rosalie had always been her favorite aunt.

"We don't make this a suicide mission about Jane." Rosalie narrowed her eyes at Renesmee as she walked into the office, moving around the filing cabinets. "We go to get our family back, intact and safe. If we can take Jane out while doing that,_ fine_, if not, we leave that battle for another day."

Renesmee's jaw clenched. "Jane is the only reason I am going…"

"No its not." Rosalie told Renesmee. "And you know that. Whether you are angry with your parents, _your family_, or not you still don't want them dead. We both know that."

Renesmee was silent for a moment; Rosalie was right and deep down Renesmee knew it. "Fine. But…"

"But some day, I promise, Jane will pay." Rosalie assured her niece. "Even if it's just you and I who make her pay…"

"You won't be alone there." Emmett grinned again as he continued to look for the venom.

"Lets just focus here." Jacob spoke up. "Find the venom and move onto the next step."

"I don't know where else it would be…" Renesmee sighed.

"Did you check the fridge?" Seth pointed to the small refrigerator in the corner.

"Why would we look in there?" Emmett asked the young wolf.

"Uh…because its vampire venom, and you guys are cold so…maybe your venom is?" Seth concluded.

Renesmee raised an eyebrow at Seth's reasoning but moved to the fridge, opening it to find a large assortment of vials labeled _Edward's venom_, _Carlisle's venom_, and _Alice's venom_. She smiled. "Found it."

Immediately, everyone was standing over her shoulder, looking in at the vials.

"Why doesn't he have everyone's venom?" Emmett sounded disappointed.

"Maybe he figured he didn't need that much…there really is no use for it." Rosalie shrugged it off.

"Well how much of it do we need?" Emmett asked, looking at Renesmee.

Renesmee shrugged. "Take it all."

"All of it?" Jacob's voice almost cracked. "That is a lot of venom…"

Renesmee glanced back at her boyfriend before turning back to grab as many vials as she could. "We don't know how much I need." She straightened up, looking at Emmett. "Take it all."

Emmett nodded fiercely before grabbing the rest of the vials of venom and closing the refrigerator, all the while smiling. Emmett was ready for the fight he was sure would come.

* * *

Sam had called the key members of both his and Jacob's packs together; although he was slowly backing down, allowing Jacob to take lead, he still was technically an alpha.

Jared, Paul, Embry, Leah, and Quil arrived immediately, emerging from the woods in cut offs and meeting Sam on the open field that lay next to Jacob's house.

"What's going on, boss?" Paul asked sarcastically.

"Renesmee is back." Sam said.

"Really? Awesome." Embry smiled. "Bet Jacob is happy."

Sam nodded.

"Is she okay?" Leah could read it in Sam's expression; something was wrong.

"Well, for now she is. The rest of the Cullen's may not be." Sam's expression was grave. Over the years, he had learned to respect the Cullen's, regardless of how he was supposed to feel about vampires.

"What do you mean?" Quil asked.

"The Volturi came for them…took them all except Rosalie and Emmett and Renesmee…none of them were home then the Volturi came." Sam explained.

"So where did they take them?" Jared asked.

"To Italy." Sam said. "They are using them as bait to get Renesmee within their reach…"

"So they can kill her." Leah rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Renesmee was one of her best friends; one of the only other girls who understood her world, she did not like someone, anyone threatening her friends life.

Sam nodded. "She has a plan…I think its insane, but if it works she will be able to get close enough to at least try to help the Cullen's…but she may need some extra help. That's why I called you all here. Jacob is already going with her, obviously, and Seth…but this is not something Jacob or I will order you to do. If you choose to help, to stand by Renesmee…then you do so at your own free will."

Leah stepped forward immediately. "I am going. I won't let Renesmee lose her life over this."

Sam nodded, he had known Leah would go, no matter how dangerous it was.

Quil, Embry, Jared, and Paul all looked at each other and then to Sam.

"Shouldn't some of us stay here…in case they don't make it back? If any wolves are seen by the Volturi and the Volturi don't fall they will come for us."

Sam nodded again. "Probably."

"Then I'll stay. Defend our home." Paul said. It was not that he was afraid of the Volturi. He, like Emmett, always looked for a good fight, but he had a feeling that this particular fight would end up back at La Push. He could not risk his families or his tribe's safety.

"So will I." Jared said.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Cowards…" She mumbled.

"I'm not scared, Leah!" Jared interjected. "Just…the Volturi…I don't have a good feeling about it. We can't leave the reservation unprotected."

Leah was going to say something, but Sam cut her off. "He is right, Leah. We do need some protection here. The tribe comes first…"

Leah just stood frozen, her expression unchanging but her eyes resting on Quil and Embry to make a decision.

"I am going with Jake." Embry spoke next. Jacob was his best friend; he would not abandon him.

"Quil…I think you should stay behind." Sam spoke up. "Four of us should stay and four should go."

"So I guess that means you are staying?" Leah scoffed at Sam.

Sam nodded. "In case something happens…one Alpha should be here."

"Nothing is going to happen." Leah snapped.

"_In case_." Sam pressed. He was torn. On one hand, he cared about Renesmee as Jacob's imprint and did not want anything to happen to her, so he wanted to help defend her, but at the end of the day, Emily was more important and Emily was on the reservation.

"That is fine with me." Quil said, also having the same gut-wrenching feeling as Paul and Jared. He had a feeling the fight would end up back at La Push.

Sam turned to Leah and Embry. "You two should head to the Cullen's house. Explain everything to Jacob and be safe."

"We will." Embry assured Sam.

Sam just nodded as he watched Leah and Embry run off into the woods, in the direction of the Cullen home. He hoped it was not the last time he saw his two fellow werewolves.

* * *

Aro grinned from his throne as the Cullen's stood, still as statues, on the side of the room. He was certain he would get all he needed and wanted from the Cullen coven within the next fourty-eight hours, though he hated to have to wait.

"Well…time certainly does move slowly." Aro sighed, looking to Bella. "If only your daughter was not brought up in a world of humans, maybe she would do things at her true supernatural pace."

"She is not coming." Edward repeated his earlier statement with a hint of boredom. "I told you. Renesmee is not going to save us."

"She will…and when she arrives in all of her angry and miscalculations I will easily be able to gain her blood." Aro told him.

"Even if she does come…she won't be miscalculating anything." Carlisle assured Aro.

"You are wrong, Carlisle." Caius spoke up, his voice full of venom. "She is young and arrogant. We have witnessed her carelessness. She is worse than any newborn I have ever seen…I am not even sure she would recognize an obvious kill. Snapping her neck will be too easy."

"You underestimate her. I assure you." Carlisle spoke of his granddaughter as his eyes drifted to Esme, who stood silently next to him.

"We will see…" Aro smiled, and then turned his attention back to Bella. She, out of all the Cullen's, was the one he truly wanted to add to his own collection. "And sweet Bella, what will you do after I take your daughter's life?"

Bella's face remained hard, though the Volturi's harsh words about Renesmee hurt her emensly. She hated to hear people speak so negatively of her daughter, even if her daughter would not come to her aid, did not care what happened to her. Bella was at peace with Renesmee's attitude toward her now, because she realized Renesmee's anger and hate toward Bella would be what saved her daughter tonight. "You can kill me before you kill her."

Jane chuckled a bit. "Hardly!" She stepped toward Bella. "I have waited years to watch you whether in pain…"

"And you will wait many more." Edward narrowed his eyes at Jane. "Because Renesmee will not come."

"Well…if that is the case I will have to dispose of you…" Aro seemed saddened by the idea. "Unless some of you would like a way out…Alice?" He grinned wide.

Edward read Aro's thoughts and growled. "You think you will win either way here? If Renesmee comes you can kill her and pick which of us can live as your slaves? If she doesn't come you will still keep those you want and get rid of the rest of us!"

"And that talent is exactly why it would be a shame to kill you, Edward!" Aro smiled delightfully at the thought of Edward reading his thoughts.

"I will die before I join you." Edward told him.

"You are so ignorant…" Alec sighed.

"Yes…you are." Aro's smile faded as he seemed to stare through Edward, before snapping his head toward Bella. "Well, Bella…just because your mate here is so dense…"

"Where Edward goes, I go." Bella said with absolute certainty.

Alice could see in her vision that Aro's attention would soon turn to her, so she spoke up before he could address her. "That goes for _all _of us. You cannot take one of us without killing all of us." Her eyes drifted toward Jasper; she could never imagine living any life without him.

Aro just shook his head sadly. "We will see…when Renesmee comes…"

"She will not come." Edward repeated himself.

"Why? Why do you think so low of her? Because she says she hates you?" Aro shook his head. "Even in her anger could you not see the pain? I did in your memories, Edward. She wants more than anything to feel loved by you, accepted. It's in her every word, her every glare. She lives in defiance of you because she fears you will leave her again."

Edward could not answer as Aro's words sunk in. He felt an invisible lump form in his throat.

"And it is even worse with you, Bella." Aro turned toward her. "In Edward's memories…Renesmee is even angrier with you. It is only because she cares more about your opinion, your feelings toward her than anyone else's."

Bella shook her head. "That's not true…" It couldn't have been true. If it were, Renesmee would have realized how much Bella loved her, how much Bella just wanted to hug her and hold her again.

"I doubt that." Aro shook his head. "And that is why I know Renesmee will be here."

Aro then turned to Marcus and Caius before looking back at the Cullen's; a broad, devilish smile dancing across his lips.

* * *

Renesmee, Jacob, Emmett, Rosalie, Seth, Leah, and Embry boarded the plane, thankful that Emmett had a few connections and favors owed to him and was able to get them all on the first plane leaving for Italy.

The oddly matched group quickly took their seats and before anyone knew it they were taking off and in the air.

The atmosphere around the seven members of the group was thick with anxiety and stress. Hardly anyone had spoken a word since Leah and Embry had showed up to explain the wolf situation.

Suddenly, Emmett turned to Renesmee who was sitting next to him, between himself and Jacob. "When do we give you…" He pulled a syringe full of venom from his pocket, his eyes full of worry. He had no idea what kind of effects the venom would have on Renesmee.

"Better now than never." Renesmee gave a weak smile.

"Nessie…shouldn't we wait?" Jacob's eyes were full of panic. He was trying to put off this part of the plan until the last possibly second.

Renesmee shook her head. "No…I think we should start now…in case it takes a while to affect me."

"But…" Jacob started.

"She is right, Jacob." Rosalie spoke softly from across the aisle.

"Thanks." Renesmee nodded toward Rosalie before turning back to Emmett. "Okay, Uncle Emmett….hit me."

Emmett sighed but then, in one swift motion, struck Renesmee directly in the heart with the syringe.

It took mere seconds for the venom to spread through Renesmee's system. She could feel it instantly, the intense burning sensation as the venom crept out from her heart and through her veins. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, the veins on the side of her head pulsating.

But Renesmee said nothing; she suffered in silence, and watching it killed Jacob. He knew then and there, his heart would break quite a few more times before this trip was said and done.


	19. Her Eyes Are Red

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 18**

The plane had finally landed in Italy, and it had been a long ride for Emmett, Rosalie, Jacob, Leah, Embry, and Seth, but for Renesmee it had been pure torture.

She had been in pain since the first prick of venom, but by the time they landed in New York, she had been unconscious. Jacob had carried her to the next plane, and she only opened her eyes long enough to ask Emmett to hit her with another shot of venom.

Now, as the group began exiting the plane in Italy, Renesmee could barely move. Her entire body was on fire and yet numb at the same time. She found it hard to walk.

"Jake…" Renesmee whimpered.

Jacob's heart broke for his girlfriend and he was starting to think her plan was beyond stupid, it was suicidal. He moved to pick her up and her skin was extraordinarily cold. It caused him to shiver.

"Just be careful with her." Rosalie whispered to Jacob as he carried her off the plane.

"She is so cold." Jacob said back.

Renesmee snorted a bit, a crooked grin flashing briefly across her face as she closed her eyes and nestled close to Jacob's warm chest.

"I'll go get the car." Emmett said.

"Let me come with you." Embry offered. Watching Renesmee in such a fragile state made him uncomfortable. He hated to think of her in pain.

"Sure." Emmett nodded, taking off to grab a rental car with Embry at his side.

"Where are we going now?" Leah asked Rosalie, her voice low.

"To Volterra." Rosalie said.

"With Nessie like that?" Seth pointed to Renesmee, whose breathing was ragid. He could hear her heart slowly down at an unbelievable rate.

"I'll be fine…" Renesmee choked out, though her eyes remained closed. She too, could feel her heart slowly, her body freezing, her skin toughening. She knew the venom was working but she also hoped that Carlisle's theory was right and she would not stay like this forever.

By the time the group had walked through the airport, Emmett had pulled up to the front of the airport in a huge Navy Tahoe.

"Help me get her in." Jacob requested.

In a flash, Emmett was out of the car and helping Jacob pull Renesmee into the back seat as the rest of the crew climbed into the car. Seth and Leah sat in the trunk.

"She looks bad." Embry noted from the front seat as Renesmee lay curled in Jacob's arms with Rosalie gently touching her arm.

"I'm…fine." Renesmee growled, opening her eyes briefly to glare at Embry.

Rosalie gasped, causing everyone to look at her. "Sorry…its just…Ness, you're eyes…"

"What?" Renesmee asked glancing at Jacob and watching as his expression turned to horror and he turned away, his arms slightly shaking in rage.

"You're eyes…they are red." Embry told her after a moment.

"Oh…" Renesmee nodded, swallowing hard for a moment. "From the venom."

"It won't stay like that." Leah put a hand on Jacob's shoulder, knowing that he was devastated. He had always loved Renesmee's deep brown eyes.

"Right…" Jacob nodded, squaring his jaw but his gaze still out the window.

There was silence in the car for a moment, and then Renesmee cleared her throat. "I…need more…"

"What?" Jacob turned back to Renesmee, horror on his face.

"More venom…" Renesmee took a deep breath, trying to sound assertive instead of so weak. "I need another hit…"

"I can't." Jacob shook his head, knowing it was his turn to give her the venom. "I won't do this to you anymore…"

"I need it." Renesmee closed her eyes, concentrating. "Please."

"No." Jacob told her. He would not cause her anymore pain. He would not turn her into a monster.

"Aunt Rose?" Renesmee asked, though her eyes remained tightly closed.

Rosalie sighed, but went into her pocket, pulling a syringe of venom out of her pocket.

"What?" Jacob was shocked Rosalie would give Renesmee more, seeing as how bad a shape Renesmee was in.

"She is right." Rosalie said. "She needs it."

"It's killing her." Jacob argued.

"No…it's not." Renesmee said, her eyes still closed. "It's doing what it's supposed to." She opened her eyes and stared tensely at Rosalie.

Rosalie sighed, but in one swift motion hit Renesmee with the needle right in her heart.

Renesmee called out in pain. "Shit!" She winced, trying not to breath, as if it would calm the burning down.

After a moment, Renesmee was still aside from her heavy breathing. She opened her eyes as she continued to feel the new dose of venom spread. "Come on, Uncle Emmett…let's get out of here."

Emmett nodded, quickly pressing his foot to the gas and taking off in the direction of Volterra with such speed that no one on the sidewalk would have even noticed the SUV driving past them.

* * *

Aro sat, grinning widely at the Cullen's. He had not moved in hours, and most of the Cullen's were not able to ignore him, all except Edward, who could hear Aro's erratic thoughts. Aro's plans kept changing, his ideas forming into new ones. Aro had made a million plans if Renesmee showed up or if she did not, and Edward had no idea which direction he would go in.

Suddenly, Felix came into the chambers, moving swiftly toward Aro.

"Aro…our lunch has arrived." Felix knelt in front of Aro.

"Excellent." Aro rose in a fluid motion as Caius and Marcus followed him. He glanced back at his entire guard. "Let us eat!"

"What about the prisoners?" Marcus nodded toward the Cullen's.

"I doubt they would want to share our meal…" Aro grinned and turned toward the Cullen's. "Isn't that right?"

"Correct." Carlisle spoke.

Aro sighed. "Well, unfortunately we cannot accommodate your eating habits, Carlisle."

"That is quite alright, Aro. We are well fed." Carlisle glanced at his family, noticing their eyes were a fading shade of gold. No one was starving yet.

Aro nodded, then turned back to his guard. "Let us go."

"We are going to leave them in here?" Jane asked. "Unguarded?"

"They are not going anywhere." Aro glanced back at the Cullen's. "They will still be here when we return."

Aro's words were final as he led the guard out of the room, leaving the Cullen's alone for the first time since they Volturi had taken them.

"He is really confident we won't get out of here, isn't he?" Jasper was the first to speak.

"Aro knows even if we did escape…we wouldn't get very far." Edward answered as his eyes drifted toward Bella, noticing for the first time that fear danced slightly in her eyes.

"So this is it, then?" Jasper concluded from the tone in Edward's voice.

Edward glanced briefly back at Jasper but his gaze quickly drifted back to his Bella, his beautiful wife. He did not answer.

"Unless Nessie comes…" Alice said.

"She won't come." Edward turned to Alice, his jaw square. "I've read her thoughts. She would not risk her life for us…"

"Well…I am reading our future and it goes blank. That means either she comes or…" Alice stated.

"Or we die." Bella finished Alice's sentence, glancing down.

"It's better Renesmee doesn't come." Edward said as he inhaled deeply. "No reason for her to die."

"Or Rose or Emmett." Esme added. "I hope they are able to stay safe."

"Well…they are with the wolves or Renesmee now." Alice said. "I can't see their future anymore."

Carlisle nodded. "Good. Alice, when does…our future disappear."

Alice concentrated hard. "A few hours."

"If someone can get out…they should get out." Edward spoke, but his eyes were locked on Bella's.

"I am not leaving you." Bella could tell what Edward was asking of her; she did not need him to say it out loud. He wanted her to run, but she never would.

"No one is leaving anyone." Alice said, knowing she spoke for the entire family. No one would walk away without the rest of them.

"Bella, someone needs to make sure Renesmee is okay…" Edward continued to stare at his wife, ignoring his sister.

Bella took a deep breath at Edward's word. She would never run, she would never leave Edward _unless _it was to run to their daughter. She knew now, if given the chance, she would run as far and as fast as she could, to make sure Renesmee was okay.

"Aro is coming back." Carlisle spoke up, hearing the steps in the hall.

The Cullen's all turned their heads toward the ground, no one willing to give Aro the satisfaction of seeing the sadness in their eyes as he entered back into the room. No one wanted to lose their lives, or lose one of their family members, not to such monsters as the Volturi had become.

* * *

Renesmee was exhausted; her body continued to convulse and the pain from the venom never subsided. The burn was excruciating; she could not imagine why her mother would have chosen this pain over the pain of possibly dying an old lady one day, without Edward. But Renesmee knew it wasn't just about the chose for Bella; Renesmee had killed her mother, she had no choice but to burn like this.

After a few minutes, the burning seemed to numb and Renesmee could concentrate on herself again.

"Ness?" Jacob asked, worry in his voice. He could feel the last touches of warmth leaving her body as he held her close to him in the car.

"Her heart is slowing." Leah surveyed from the back seat.

"I know…" Jacob seemed to whisper. "Nessie, can you hear me?"

Renesmee tried to respond, but the muscles in her jaws ached too much. Instead she just remained silent.

"Is this what it is supposed to do?" Embry asked, looking back between Emmett and Rosalie.

Rosalie's eyes were wide, and did not move off of Renesmee. "If she were being turned…this would be the end of her human life."

"It happened to fast though." Emmett interjected from the front seat as he raced toward Volterra. "It usually takes three days…"

"We aren't turning her though." Jacob said quickly. "And she is half vampire...maybe it's different for her."

"Yes." Seth nodded, absentmindedly from the back seat. He could not bare to see Renesmee like this, not only because she was Jacob's imprint, but also because she was Edward's daughter and Edward was Seth's friend. "It's because she is half vampire."

Suddenly Renesmee sprung up from Jacob's lap, gasping for air that would not fill her lungs. Her eyes were a wild red as she glanced quickly around the car, all the faces starring back at her with mixed emotions of anger and fear plaguing their expression.

"Ness?" Jacob grabbed both of her shoulders, trying to get her to focus on him.

Renesmee did focus on Jacob, her Jacob, and she watched as he too looked horrified.

"Your…eyes…" Jacob couldn't look away; her eyes were blood red and so disturbing.

"Uh…" Renesmee seemed to choke out and then the pounding of her heart in her own ears silence and she was very still.

"Her heart…" Embry said.

"It stopped." Rosalie finished the wolves thought as she heard the familiar beating of Renesmee's fast heart subside.

"Renesmee…" Jacob asked cautiously.

Renesmee just threw a quick crooked smile at her boyfriend. "I'm good."

"You…you…" Jacob started.

"I'm good." Renesmee forced a smile. "It worked." And she was right, the venom had done exactly what Carlisle and Tanya had thought it would. She slowly moved off Jacob, stretching out, but slightly losing her balance in the seat. She was still a little tired; that did not seem right. Vampires were never tired; they never slept. She tried to remind herself that she was not really a vampire and that the venom would wear off quickly.

"It worked?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

Renesmee tried her best to smile, although her body still ached. "I mean…this will wear off. I will probably need more soon."

"More venom?" Jacob shook his head. "No more."

"We have to do this, Jake." Renesmee told him.

"She is right." Rosalie agreed. "At any rate, we know it works."

Jacob said nothing; instead he turned away from his imprint, unable to look at her for the first time in her life.

"How close are we?" Renesmee asked, still unsteady but trying her best to get comfortable.

"To Volterra?" Emmett asked, watching Renesmee nod from the backseat. "Not too far."

"Well then we need a…plan." Renesmee felt a sharp pain where her heart once was beating. She tried to shake it off.

"The plan is to go in and save everyone." Emmett said. "Isn't it?"

"We have to be strategic about this." Renesmee tried her best to sit up, but felt too much pain; she slumped back into the seat, trying to mask the sting in her eyes. "They will be ready for us."

"Maybe we should go in first then?" Leah offered.

"No." Renesmee shook her head, though each turn hurt. "You guys can't be seen until we need you. They won't be expecting you."

"So what? We hang around until you call us?" Jacob snorted, still looking away. "Why bother to come then? To watch you suffer…" He seemed bitter now that he knew Renesmee was not going to die.

"Jake…I need you guys when there are no more options." Renesmee glanced around at the other wolves. "You guys will be used, trust me. You will get your chance to rip some vampire's apart."

"So while they are waiting, what do we do?" Emmett asked.

"We go in." Renesmee said. "They will be expecting the three of us, I am sure. I think its best if…" Renesmee winced as she moved wrong. "If I expose myself as a vampire…they will think its true."

"A vampire we made." Rosalie started up with her own plan. "We can tell them Emmett and I created you."

"Why would you do that though?" Seth asked. "Aro will know its fake."

"No…it's good." Renesmee liked Rosalie's idea. "Maybe tell them we want to be a part of them. It will let us get closer."

"And make it seem like we really aren't there for our family." Rosalie added.

"You think they will buy that though?" Emmett asked.

"I'll talk to my…_dad_…in my head. Get him to play along." Renesmee choked over her own words.

"Good idea." Emmett nodded, seeming satisfied.

"We need to focus on getting everyone out." Renesmee added. "But I am taking a shot at Jane if I get a clear one…"

No one argued with Renesmee now; everyone in the car was far to drained by the past two days events. Silence filled the car as Embry pulled it off the main road and toward the grand gates that surrounded the city of Volterra. They were close now.

* * *

Aro had grown bored with staring at the Cullen's so for the last hour he had acted as if they were not even present. Now, however, Jane had turned her attention to them.

"Bella…do you plan on using that shield when Renesmee arrives?" Jane asked. "It would only prolong her death, really…" Jane knew, if Bella used her shield to protect Renesmee, that her power would not work on the hybrid but someone like Felix, who was pure muscle, would have no problem snapping Renesmee in two.

"Renesmee is not coming." Edward spoke up, though his eyes were glued to the ground.

"We will see." Jane sounded annoyed.

"Why do you hate me so much, Jane?" Bella spoke up, glancing up to the blonde vampire.

"Because." Jane said simply.

"It is because no one confounds her the way you do, dear Isabella." Aro seemed amused by the annoyance that danced across Jane's face. "That is why it will be such a pity to kill you."

"Then don't." Bella said, but it sounded more like a question, her voice trembling at Aro's gaze.

"I wish there was a way not to…but you will not allow me to kill your daughter without you dying as well." Aro concluded.

"Then don't kill her either." Bella suggested.

Aro sighed. "It is a shame…she is strong and her power is brilliant. If she were a vampire…I would want her without a doubt, but she is not…and so her blood is mine."

"I am sorry to see you have turned out this way." Carlisle spoke to Aro. "So refined…and yet in the end, so consumed by bloodlust."

"As we all are, and all should be." Caius spoke up now. "_You_, Carlisle, are the only one who thinks you can defy our nature. You and your pitiful coven."

"It is not in everyone's nature to be a killer." Esme spoke up, her soft voice sounding eerie in the tension that filled the room.

"It is too bad Carlisle killed you, beautiful Esme…" Aro sighed. "You would have made a much better human with those ideas."

"She did." Carlisle spoke up. "That is why I couldn't let her go."

"Carlisle saved me." Esme spoke up.

"Then it is a shame he cannot do the same now." Alec grinned his response.

Suddenly, Demetri and Felix came busting through the doors, a grin on their faces.

"Aro?" Demetri moved swiftly toward Aro, Marcus, and Caius.

"Yes, Caius?" Aro smiled back, evilly.

"We have some expected guests arriving shortly. They have just entered the city." Demetri spoke, knowing Aro understood he was talking about Renesmee, Rosalie, and Emmett. The Volturi had thankfully not sensed the wolves' arrival as well.

"Excellent." Aro grinned toward the Cullen's focusing on Bella and Edward. "It seems your daughter has fulfilled her fate after all. Aren't you proud of her? She is willing to die for you."

Edward said nothing, shock written all over his face. He had been certain Renesmee would not come for them. He turned to Alice, glaring at her.

"I can't see her future…" Alice reminded him, as if apologizing for Renesmee's decision.

"He knows that, Alice…" Bella spoke for Edward, but she too was so shocked and disappointed Renesmee had come. She did not want to watch her miracle child die; she could not lose her daughter _again_.

"Well, wouldn't want to keep the family reunion waiting any longer." Aro rose. "Felix, allow our guests in."

"Yes, master." Felix nodded and moved to the door, opening it wide.

As the doors open, Renesmee entered quickly, with Emmett and Rosalie at each of her sides. The three moved in the same fluid motion, although Renesmee's seemed a little slower, as if each step hurt.

"We are so happy you arrived, Renesmee." Aro grinned at the young girl. "We knew you would have come."

"Always in my cards to meet you again, Aro." Renesmee spoke to him, though her eyes were locked on the ground.

Emmett and Rosalie's golden orbs drifted over to their families, their eyes locking with everyone's at once. Emmett and Rosalie could easily see the look of distress and sadness on their families faces.

"As if your destiny was written in the stars!" Aro seemed to sing. Suddenly, Aro's grin slightly faded as he studied Renesmee. Suddenly, his voice grew suspicious. "A shame I didn't hear you come…"

Suddenly, Edward grumbled, hearing Aro's conspicuous thoughts. "Please no…" Edward's voice was low as his eyes pleaded with Emmett and Rosalie. He too, understood now from Aro's thoughts. Aro could not hear Renesmee's heartbeat and neither could he.

Emmett's eyes seemed to apologize to his brothers.

"You wouldn't hear anything…" Renesmee shook her head with a grin that matched one of Edward's. Suddenly she looked up, her red orbs leaking into Aro's as well as every single member of her families.

Aro's confused expression again gave way to a smile, while the rest of the Cullen's stood in shock at Renesmee's eyes, thinking they understood what the eyes meant; vampire.

"No!" Bella gasps, jumping to conclusions about Renesmee's red eyes; thinking her child was a vampire. She had never wanted this for Renesmee.


	20. Executions, Threats, and Problems

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 19**

"What did you do to her?" Bella's eyes accused everyone in the room as she struggled against her chains. She wanted to run to Renesmee and slap the red from her eyes, push her chest in until her heart started beating; she wanted the beautiful rose color to come back to her daughter's cheeks. She could not believe what had happened to Renesmee.

"Relax…mommy dearest…" Renesmee sneered at Bella as she felt her red eyes cut her mother. She continued to smile at Bella but her thoughts drifted to Edward.

_Dad._ Renesmee spoke silently to her father, grateful only he could hear her. _This is not what it looks like…we are getting you all out of here._

Edward's eyebrows creased together at Renesmee's words and he stared at his daughter who was still grinning devilishly at her mother. He wished he could communicate back with her the way she could speak to him right now.

As if on cue, Renesmee allowed all the thoughts of her visit to Alaska, her plan, and her trip to Italy fill her head. Instantly, Edward understood what had happened and was relieved Renesmee was not a true vampire; although he could also hear the doubt Renesmee had about possibly being able to become the hybrid she had once been. She was not sure if the venom had done irreversible damage.

_Please, play along with us. We have no chance otherwise._ Renesmee's thoughts pleaded with Edward as her eyes glanced quickly to him to see him nod slightly at her request. She then turned her attention back to Aro.

"So, Renesmee…it seems you are not as you once were…" Aro rose and clapped his hands together as he moved toward Renesmee.

"Not quite." Renesmee grinned, but was uneasy. She knew she could not allow Aro to touch her or he would know everything.

"And who…did this to you…" Aro motioned to Renesmee, obviously speaking about her newly found vampire traits.

"My parents changed me…" Renesmee grinned.

"You're parents…?" Aro eyed Bella and Edward. Edward's face was stone cold, but Bella's was frightened and confused.

"Not those two…_pitiful _excuses for parents." Renesmee motioned toward Edward and Bella and casually stepped away from Aro, toward the Cullen's who were locked up. She then turned to face Emmett and Rosalie. "My new parents."

"We changed her." Rosalie was sticking to the plan as she lied to Aro, an evil grin on her face.

"Rosalie, how could you?" Esme was as disappointed as Bella to see Renesmee as a vampire; never knowing it would hopefully wear off in a few hours.

"We always wanted a daughter." Emmett spoke up and moved to place one arm around Rosalie and the other on Renesmee's shoulder, making them look like a family unit.

"You're sick!" Bella cried out, beyond livid with Emmett and Rosalie. She could not believe they had done that to her child.

"Interesting…" Aro continued to grin and then turned back to Marcus and Caius who were still sitting in their seats. "Don't you all agree?"

"She will be as useless as the rest…" Marcus sounded bored as he motioned to the Cullen's who were locked on the side of the room.

"This is true…" Aro sighed and turned back to Renesmee, his face almost sad. "It seems becoming a vampire has only made this more difficult for you, Renesmee…"

"How so?" Renesmee asked, casually as she tried to hide a wince. She was really starting to feel weak, almost lightheaded. She tried to shake the feeling.

"Well…when you were…a half-breed, your death would have been much simpler. I would have drank you dry and that would have been it. Very quick, very little pain…but now you are one of us…killing a vampire is much more difficult…" Aro explained.

"Then don't kill me." Renesmee grinned, unable to believe how easy it was to stick to her plan so far. Aro was eating it out of her hand.

"You're families lifestyle is a threat." Caius motioned to the Cullen's.

"Ha…they are not my family." Renesmee snorted, looking back at Rosalie and Emmett before turning back to Aro. "The three of us are family."

"Still…" Aro sighed.

"And their lifestyle…" Emmett cut in, motioning toward Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Jasper, and Alice. "Is not something we want to be a part of any longer…"

"Oh really?" Aro raised an eyebrow. "And why is this?"

"Because…it seems your coven offers the best lifestyle." Renesmee smiled, moving gracefully around the room. "I don't care about humans…" She turned to Carlisle. "They are pitiful creatures." She looked back at Aro.

"And we no longer find our old lifestyle convenient. It never allows us to use our real strength." Emmett continued Renesmee's lie.

"It is not part of our real nature." Rosalie finished.

"Interesting…" Aro pondered. "And you would…want to join us?" He was looking at Renesmee now, thinking all he could do with her powers.

"If you would be so kind as to let us." Renesmee spoke graciously. "You know my talents…and Emmett offers great strength, and Rosalie…great beauty. You could easily find uses for all of us."

"Indeed we could." Aro glanced back toward Marcus and Caius.

"If they prove themselves…" Caius nodded.

"Which they won't." Jane stepped forward, furious. "They are obviously lying."

"Do these eyes look like they lie?" Renesmee pointed to her blood red eyes.

"Doesn't matter." Jane looked back at Aro. "You believe she really wants to be one of us? Over them?" She motioned to the Cullen's.

"They mean nothing to me." Renesmee turned toward her family, but focused on Edward. _We need you to play along…any chance you get._

Edward nodded again.

"It is true…this is not something we can take your simple word on." Aro spoke to Renesmee. "If you three would like to be part of this…you need to prove it."

"Whatever you would like." Renesmee looked at Aro as she felt a sharp pain rip through her chest. She tried to ignore it and keep her breathing even, but it was difficult.

"But how do we prove such a thing…"Aro seemed to ponder.

"Simple." Jane smiled. "Kill them. If she does not flinch as we rip her mother apart…then we know she is telling the truth."

"Makes sense." Felix spoke from his spot next to Alec and Demetri, behind Renesmee, Rosalie, and Emmett.

"It does…" Aro turned to the Cullen's, a sad smile on his face. "It seems this may be your end, my dear friends. What a shame you put so much stoke into young Renesmee, only to have her turn on you."

"Would seem that way…" Edward smirked at Aro.

"You still have a chance to join your daughter, Edward." Aro reminded him. "All you have to do is say the word."

Edward grinned slightly; shaking his head, knowing now was his chance to play along with Renesmee's plan. "I welcome death over spending another second with that…._abomination_." He motioned to Renesmee.

"Edward…" Bella was shocked at the word he had used. Even after everything Renesmee had put her through, and after how every word that came out Renesmee's mouth was breaking Bella's heart, she could not and would never consider her child an _abomination_. She loved Renesmee, unconditionally, as only a mother could. She had no idea Edward was just playing along to keep them all safe.

"You were nothing but a disease to me…" Edward continued speaking to Renesmee, ignoring Bella. "I never wanted you. And the one person who did…" He glanced at Bella and then back to Renesmee. "Well…you can't even be thankful for the life she gave you." Edward knew his words were harsh, but he knew Renesmee knew they were not true, so it did not hurt him to lie; not if it would save them all.

_Keep going._ Renesmee urged her father with her thoughts. _If we can get you free…I need you to attack with me full force._

"If she is going to take someone's life…let it be mine." Edward pleaded with Aro. "So I can be rid of her…"

"No!" Bella cried out. "Please…Edward…no!"

"I think Edward is an excellent first choice." Jane grinned widely, loving to see Bella in such pain.

"I agree." Aro's grin matched Jane's. He knew if Edward would not join him, then Edward would be the one he had to destroy first; then Alice and Bella. "Felix…"

Felix nodded and moved toward Edward, undoing his chains and yanking him forward, forcing him to his knees between Renesmee and Aro.

"Please! No!" Bella begged now, panic rising deep within her; she could not watch Edward die.

"Aro…please…" Carlisle spoke up, trying to hide the desperation in his voice, unlike Bella. "Reconsider…"

"This is the way things have to be my dear friend." Aro shrugged toward Carlisle. "I am so sorry." He then turned his attention toward Edward, ready to rip his head from his body.

"Wait…" Caius seemed rather interested. "Don't you think…to prove her loyalty…that we let Renesmee kill him?"

"What?" Renesmee flinched for a second; this was not part of the plan. Her plan was to rip Aro's hand off at the last minute when he went for Edward; not to have to rip her own father's head off.

"If you are not bothered by it…then it should not be a big deal." Marcus spoke this time; his bored eyes narrowed at Renesmee, suspiciously.

Renesmee clenched her jaw. "Fine." She moved toward Edward.

"Nessie..please…" Bella begged. "You don't have to do this…"

Renesmee's red eyes met her mother's golden ones and for the first time in a long time, Renesmee felt her heart completely break for her mother. She could see it now, how much Bella had loved her all along; because in Bella's eyes was so much pain at the idea of losing Edward, but Renesmee could tell there was no anger in them; especially none directed toward her. Bella would not hold Renesmee's responsible for killing her reason for living, even if Renesmee had really intended on killing her father.

The split second it took Renesmee to realize how much Bella loved her was far too long for Jane.

"I told you she was bluffing." Jane moved forward. "She won't kill him." She motioned toward Edward and Renesmee.

"Give her a moment, sister." Alec spoke up, rather intrigued by Renesmee and her beauty.

"A moment won't matter." Jane moved toward Bella, yanking her chains from her and pulling her out on the floor.

"Jane? What are you doing?" Aro said through a tight smile; he hated to lose the dramatic effects of his antics.

"I am testing her." Jane said, wanting nothing more than to watch Bella whiter in pain. "If Renesmee really does not care for her family then me pulling her mother apart will not matter much…will it?" Her eyes narrowed at Renesmee.

Renesmee said nothing out loud, but her mind was screaming toward Edward. _If you have any chance of getting free in this confusion…do it and fight like hell. I won't let them touch her._

Edward stiffened; ready to attack at any opportunity and Emmett and Rosalie both leaned closer to Renesmee, also ready for whatever the next move was.

"You want me to kill her?" Renesmee motioned toward Bella who was in Jane's grasp and tried to keep herself steady, although she suddenly felt extremely dizzy. After a moment the feeling passed and she was able to focus again.

"Please." Jane smiled pleasantly at Renesmee.

Renesmee took a deep breath and then stepped forward, passed Edward and toward Bella and Jane. "Not a problem."

"Excellent." Jane seemed pleased. "Demetri? Could you hold Bella for Renesmee? I don't want my hands dirty…"

"Certainly." Demetri smiled and moved to pulled Bella into his grasp.

"But first…" Renesmee turned to Jane, developing the plan as she went along. "I do have a request."

"What is it, dear?" Aro asked.

"It's of Jane…actually…" Renesmee's eyes bore into Jane. "I would love your word…to help destroy _all_ who caused me so much pain in my past." She offered Jane her hand.

Jane grinned wider now, assuming Renesmee was talking about the Cullen's. "Absolutely." She took Renesmee's hand.

"Promise." Renesmee seemed to growl as she pulled Jane close to her, wrapping her palms around Jane's head and instantly showing Jane exactly how she had been able to appear as a vampire and exactly what her plan was; to kill Jane.

Jane's eyes grew wide as Renesmee showed her everything. She gasped and went to stagger back but instead Renesmee grabbed Jane's head and yanked the vampire over her shoulder, tossing her ten feet.

In the same instant, Edward managed to move out of a shocked Felix's grasp and toward Bella, yanking Demetri off of her as Rosalie jumped on Alec and Emmett tackled Felix

Within seconds, Edward stood with his arms wrapped tightly around Bella as Emmett and Rosalie stood at his sides, and Renesmee crouched down in front of them, growling at Aro and the rest of the Volturi guard who had lined up in front of them.

"I hope you have a plan…" Edward realized Renesmee's thoughts were very blank.

"Actually…this was as far as I thought we were gonna get…" Renesmee admitted.

"You're not as smart as you look…" Emmett whispered down to his niece.

"I've heard that before." Renesmee turned to grin at her uncle, although the motion seemed to hurt every muscle in her body. She had no idea what was wrong with her.

"So…this was a plot to free your family then?" Aro stepped forward.

"She isn't even what she…" Jane started but was stopped as Edward plowed his shoulder into her. He would not risk Jane exposing Renesmee for not truly being a vampire; if they ever made it out alive, he knew if Aro thought Renesmee was a vampire he would no longer come for her blood; she would be safe.

In an instant, Jane had Edward on his knees as she used her power to cause him pain.

"No!" Bella gasped, completely unsure of what was going on anymore, but willing to do whatever it would take to keep Edward safe. Her shield immediately launched out, covering Edward and the rest of her family from Jane's powers.

"Seize Bella…she dies now." Aro was impatient now.

Felix moved toward Bella but Emmett threw himself at the two of them. He was a match for Felix and the two were soon wrestling.

"Must we do everything ourselves?" Caius stood, angered.

"Let us leave." Renesmee requested.

"The only way you leave here is in a pile of ashes!" Caius growled.

Aro nodded sadly. "It's true…such a waste…" He turned and moved up the stairs, motioning to the rest of the guard. "Kill them all…"

Every single member of the Cullen family's face went a shade whiter as they realized it was the nine of them verse the entire Volturi guard; every face except Renesmee's.

Renesmee turned and grinned toward the door. "Jake! Now!"

In an instant Jacob, Leah, Seth, and Embry came bounding through the door in wolf form, growling and baring their teeth. That was when things got confusing.

"Free the rest of them!" Renesmee ordered Rosalie and Edward, who both nodded and moved passed the guard toward Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, and Alice.

Demetri tried to stop them, but Embry knocked him down, positioning himself between the few members of the Cullen's and the guard.

Jacob howled and then moved forward in a flash with Leah and Seth on his sides; they easily distracted Alec and a few other members of the guard who feared for Marcus, Aro, and Caius lives.

Renesmee turned toward Bella. "Keep the shield up. No matter what."

Bella just nodded, too confused to do anything but listen.

In all the chaos that erupted, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, and Esme were free in an instant, ready to fight. Carlisle and Jasper moved toward Emmett who were trying to gather the group up and move toward the door.

"Now let us leave in peace." Carlisle spoke up, among the confusion.

Aro was visibly frightened by the four large wolves and the clearly strong members of the Cullen family. He knew if they were able to kill any member of the Volturi it would hurt the view of the Volturi as a whole; this he could not allow. Either they all must die, or he must let them live.

"Everyone, relax for a moment." Aro spoke up as everyone halted. "I am sure things can be negotiated…"

Rage filled Jane's eyes. She hated the Cullen's; she would negotiate with no one. She moved then, much faster than anyone in the room realized, and in an instant, she had her hands around Bella's throat.

"She will die…"Jane picked Bella off the ground.

Edward went to move, but Carlisle stopped him. "Let us see what Aro does…"

Edward was bewildered by Carlisle. "She is hurting Bella…" He moved forward again, but this time was stopped as Jane's eyes pierced him, throwing his body into pain. In all of her anxiety, Bella was not able to hold up her shield.

"S..stop…hur…hurting…him…" Bella struggled out, able to see from the corner of her eye, Edward on his knees.

Jane just grinned as she lifted Bella higher off the ground.

With that gesture the wolves lunged at Jane, but the guard was there to defend her and a fight quickly broke out.

"Help them…." Carlisle sighed, but motioned to the wolves as he spoke to his family. This was not how he wanted things to go as he moved toward the guard, followed by Jasper, Esme, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie.

As Edward withered in pain, the Cullen's and wolves fought the guard, and Bella was being choked, Aro laughed. He was amused greatly be the scene in front of him. "Jane…excellent work." He skipped up the steps and took a seat, watching Jane torture both Edward and Bella with a huge grin on his face.

No one was Renesmee as she approached Jane from the side. Everyone was too involved in their own appointed. Renesmee could clearly see she had a shot at Jane now; especially with her focus on both her parents. Renesmee also knew she could not allow Jane to hurt both of her parents in such a way. She quickly found an inner strength, despite how physically weak she felt and jumped on Jane's back, putting her in a headlock and forcing her to let go of Bella.

"You…will pay for Charlie…" Renesmee told Jane through gritted teeth.

Renesmee's words only caused Jane to laugh and in an instant she pulled Renesmee off of her and through her to the ground, causing Renesmee to cry out in pain.

The cry was enough to halt the Cullen's and wolves long enough that the Volturi guard were able to grab every single Cullen member and wolf. Everyone now stood in silence, watching Jane walk around Renesmee's body, lying on the ground at Aro's steps.

"So concerned with the human race…" Jane spit her venom at Renesmee. "Your inability to embrace your nature is what killed you here today…remember that. You are not strong…"

Renesmee clenched her jaw and used all her strength to give Jane one good kick and push herself back up onto her feet. "Strong enough to fight."

"But not strong enough to win…" Jane narrowed her eyes at Renesmee and charged.

Everything seemed to blur together for every one watching. In one second, Jane was on top of Renesmee and in another Renesmee was ripping Jane's head from her body with all of her strength. She tossed the head hard toward Aro's feet, watching it crumble into dust as it rolled. Now the Volturi all stood silent in complete shock.

Renesmee turned back to her family and the wolves, who also seemed extremely astonished by her action. She zeroed in on her father, speaking to him so no one else could hear. _Get everyone together. We are leaving at any chance we get._

Edward nodded and moved to pull Bella closer to him.

"This is…a surprise…" Aro looked down at the dust fragments that had been Jane and then back at Renesmee. "You killed one of my very best…"

"I am not as weak as I look." Renesmee tried to smirk although she herself did not actually believe her words. Her entire body felt like it was about to collapse in on itself; she was no such how much longer she could hold her facade up.

Alec stepped forward toward Renesmee, rage in his eyes at what she had done to his sister. He wanted her dead.

"Easy Alec…" Aro motioned toward the younger vampire and in an instant Demetri and Felix were holding Alec back.

No one else showed remorse over Jane's death aside from her brother. The other members of the Volturi just seemed surprised that one of them had fallen, not saddened over the loss. It was easy to see they were nowhere near as close as any of the Cullen's were.

"She should be punished. She has hurt the guard." Caius spoke up.

"Maybe…" Aro moved toward Renesmee, as if to see her in a new light. "Although…now that she is a vampire…her abilities would certainly be of use…" He moved to touch her face.

Renesmee quickly pulled away from Aro's grasp, not wanting him to see her thoughts. If he did, she knew he would be able to see that she was not truly a vampire and they would all be screwed. "I would never join you…"

"Well…maybe not right away." Aro grinned at Renesmee, despite the fact that she had turned his offer down. "But it looks like I may have centuries to convince you otherwise…"

"You just try." Renesmee glared and motioned to the dust that had once been Jane. She could easy tell that the vampire had been pulled into too many pieces. Fire would not need to be used to make sure Jane was gone for good.

"Are you threatening us?" Marcus spoke up for the first time in awhile, although his voice still sounded slightly bored.

"Every last one of you…" Renesmee narrowed her eyes as they flicked from Marcus to Aro to Caius to Felix to Demetri and lastly to Alec. She gave him a tight lipped smile, though it hurt her muscles to twitch in such a way.

Alec growled at her, trying to break free. Moments ago he had thought her to be beautiful, but now all he saw in Renesmee was a monster. A monster who would one day pay for what she had done.

"Miss Cullen…we take threats very seriously here…" Aro seemed almost humored.

"Good." Renesmee grinned although every single part of her wanted to shake and fall to the floor. She felt so weak all of the sudden. "You should."

Felix laughed. "Should we now?" Given the size of Renesmee he figured it would take him two seconds to rip her apart.

"You saw what I did to Jane…" Renesmee motioned to the pile of dust. "Imagine…with a little training…what I could do to all of you."

Aro's smile faded as Felix stiffened. Suddenly, Renesmee's threat seemed very real.

"We are going to leave now." Renesmee motioned to her family and the wolves. "And if any of you come at my family ever again…I'll kill you all." With that she turned and closed her eyes briefly. Everyone seemed to miss it except Jacob; he realized now Renesmee was in serious pain from something.

Demetri moved to stop the Cullen's but Aro motioned for him not to. Apparently, even the head of the Volturi had taken Renesmee's threat to heart. He would not pursue her, not today, but in his head she was truly a vampire and one day he would get her to join him. He had no idea that the venom was actually wearing off and in a few hours she would be the hybrid whose blood he had lusted for.

* * *

The entire Cullen Family and wolf pack walked out to the now dark streets of Volterra in silence. The pack had changed back into human form, but no one had said a word to each other; afraid to breath until they were away from the Volturi.

Once they made it to the car, Renesmee let out a deep breath and held onto the door for support. Everything was spinning.

"Nessie, what's wrong?" Jacob held her as she let go of the car and fell into his arms.

"I…don't know…" Renesmee struggled.

"Is the venom wearing off?" Emmett asked.

"What?" Bella was so confused. She was trying her best to deal with the idea of her daughter being a vampire; she could not wrap her head around anything else.

"Just get her in the car." Rosalie ordered; she opened the door for Jacob who pilled Renesmee in, followed by Edward who pulled Bella in the back seat with him.

"Carlisle should go with us." Emmett was already in the front seat. "In case something is wrong…"

"What could be…" Carlisle was just as confused as Bella was but willingly got into the trunk with Esme at his side.

"Alice, Jasper, and the rest of you…" Rosalie motioned to the wolves. "Find a car…follow us."

"Sure." Alice was also confused and certainly not opposed to grand theft auto.

"We'll explain everything to you…" Seth told Alice, seeing that she and Jasper were confused as they pulled them away from the Tahoe.

Once Rosalie had climbed into the front seat, Emmett pulled away quickly from the curb, causing Renesmee to jerk in Jacob's grasp.

"Arghhh!" Renesmee called out in pain, wincing. Everything hurt.

"What's wrong with her?" Bella was panicked and confused; as if the days events had not already been enough. She quickly placed a cool hand on Renesmee and instantly felt her face drop. Renesmee was burning up, much too hot even for her already high temperature. "She is on fire…"

"It's gotta be the venom…" Jacob searched Emmett and Rosalie's eyes desperately.

"It shouldn't have that effect." Edward spoke up, having read Renesmee's thoughts as well as Emmett's Rosalie's, and the entire wolf pack's he understood what had happened to Renesmee in order to make it appear she was a vampire.

"Have you ever pumped somebody full of it knowing it wouldn't change them?" Jacob glared at Edward. He was worried about Renesmee, he didn't care whose feelings he hurt.

"Jake…" Renesmee tried to warn but her voice came out weak. She was barely conscious.

"Pumped her full of venom?" Bella was lost, her eyes searching Edward's.

"It was their plan…" Edward motioned to Renesmee, Jacob, Rosalie and Emmett, and then turned to Carlisle in the backseat. "Or Tanya and your plan."

"My plan?" Carlisle was confused.

"Renesmee took a trip to see Tanya…" Rosalie explained. "She wanted help to go after the Volturi…Tanya offered her another solution…"

"One she had already discussed with you when the Volturi came after us years ago…" Edward knew the conversation Renesmee and Tanya had through Renesmee's memories.

Immediately Carlisle's eyes grew wide; he knew exactly what Edward was talking about. "She didn't…" He shook his head.

"She did." Edward nodded, knowing Carlisle was questioning whether Renesmee had taken the venom or not.

"But we don't even know if it would have worked…" Carlisle was confounded, starring at Renesmee in amazement. "Or we didn't…"

"Well it worked. She is just like the rest of us…" Emmett spoke up.

"She was." Edward briefly touched Renesmee's forehead; it was even hotter than when Bella touched it. "Her temperature is burning it off…"

"What the hell is going on?" Bella spoke up, noticing that she and the silent Esme in the back with Carlisle were apparently the only two out of the loop. She was worried for her daughter

"Renesmee decided to shoot herself up with your venom like a junkie take a needle…" Jacob seemed to growl as he helplessly held Renesmee close to his body to try and stop her from shaking. He did not know what to do.

"What?" Bella looked down helplessly at her daughter.

"Why would she do that?" Esme too was concerned for her granddaughter; speaking for the first time since the entire ordeal had started.

"Carlisle and Tanya discussed a theory…" Edward explained. "If they needed to disguise Renesmee…"

"We thought our venom may turn her briefly into one of us…" Carlisle explained. "Enough to stop her heart and make her appear to be a vampire…to through the Volturi off…we figured her temperature would burn it off after awhile, just like if a wolf gets a little venom in them it does not kill them. It was just a theory though, an idea….we would have never done it."

"We were…" Renesmee tried her best to speak through gritted teeth. "…out of…options…"

"Shhh. Ness…" Jacob kissed her on the head and held her close the way he used to when she was a small child.

Renesmee feebly nodded and buried her head in Jacob's chest, barely conscious any more.

"What's happening to her now…" Bella was frantic, unable to believe how stupid her daughter had been.

"I…" Carlisle shook his head, completely lost. "I don't know…I would have to examine her in a better condition. I can't conclude anything right now…"

"Well figure it out…" Bella glared at Carlisle as she reached for Renesmee. She quickly pulled her out of Jacob's strong grasp, shocking the werewolf for a second. Whether Renesmee hated her or not, it was still her daughter; her baby. Bella held Renesmee close to her cool chest, trying to lower her daughter's temperature with her cold skin.

Renesmee responded to Bella's touch, but for the first time it was not in a negative way. Renesmee was so delirious and Bella's cool skin felt so good against her fever that Renesmee actually pulled herself closer to her mother; nestling her head in the crook of Bella's neck.

Had Renesmee not been so violently and clearly ill, Edward would have laughed at the image of mother and daughter. Renesmee was just as big as Bella and yet, as Bella held her, Bella looked very much like the teenage mother of the teenage girl she held.

"We need to get home…I need to examine her." Carlisle's distraught voice brought Edward back to reality. "Something is not right…this should not have happened to her…she shouldn't be so weak…"

"Home? As in Washington?" Esme looked at Carlisle as if he were insane.

Yes…" Carlisle reached over, prying one of Renesmee's limp eyelids open. He examined the black-yellow color of Renesmee's eyes as best he could and sighed. "I don't have the proper equipment to look her over now and conclude anything…"

"Will she be able to make it home?" Jacob asked the question that was on everyone's mind. He had seen Renesmee hurt plenty of times; but never like this. He looked down at his now empty hands, wanting to hold Renesmee but fearing Bella f he tried to pull his imprint back in his grasp.

Carlisle could not answer that question so he turned his attention to Emmett. "Just drive, Emmett…"


	21. She is Dying

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 20**

Edward carried Renesmee's feverish body onto the private plan that Jasper had been able to secure through a few phone calls and favors for them all. The rest of the Cullen's and wolf pack were behind the father with his child.

It killed Jacob to not be the one holding Renesmee, but his body temperature was only making her fever worse; the Cullen's cold touch was the only thing Renesmee, in her delirious state, seemed to want.

The Cullen family and pack got settled on the plan in complete silence; all seemed numbed by Renesmee's worsening condition.

Edward gently placed Renesmee in the seat between Bella and himself. Jacob filed in the seat across the aisle from them, tensely watching Renesmee's body shiver and sweat at the same time.

"She looks worse…" Rosalie commented from her seat behind Bella.

Bella turned and glared at Rosalie before gently stroking Renesmee's cheek.

Renesmee growled but her eyes did not open.

"Why is this happening to her?" Seth asked, glancing toward Carlisle.

Carlisle just shook his heat from his seat in front of Renesmee. He had his theories, but he would not share them with the family; there was no point in worrying everyone more until he could solidly confirm something. "I don't know…"

"We should have never given her that crap." Jacob punched the seat in front of him in frustration.

"It wasn't our choice…" Emmett reminded him, although he could not look Jacob in the eye, instead he stared down at his huge hang clasped tightly around Rosalie's.

"We could have stopped her." Jacob growled.

"She would have done it anyway, Jake." Leah spoke up from her seat next to Jacob, gently placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "You know Ness…once she gets an idea in her head its impossible to stop her."

"And you couldn't have known this is what was going to happen." Esme also tried to comfort Jacob. She had watched Jacob for years with Renesmee and she knew, as much as it pained everyone to see Renesmee in such a fragile state, it killed Jacob.

Jacob shook his head. "I could have guessed…"

"Jake…" Renesmee mumbled, though her eyes were closed tightly.

"Jacob…" Bella glared, warning her werewolf friend to lower his voice. She could tell that, even in Renesmee's half conscious state, she could hear the worry in Jacob's voice and she was trying to comfort him.

Jacob just looked away, his hands in a tight fist.

"Bella…" Edward spoke gently now, softly placing his hand over hers, the one she had placed gently on Renesmee's cheek. "Jacob is only worried about her."

"I know." Bella said, truthfully as her eyes fell to her weakening daughter. "So am I."

"I hate to interrupt but…we need to keep her cool." Carlisle spoke over the seat. "Her temperature is far too high…"

Bella nodded, gently pulling Renesmee up close to her and wrapping both of her arms around her child, her cold skin lowering the fire burning through Renesmee's body.

Jacob could not watch the sight in front of him anymore; he could not watch Renesmee deteriorate in front of him. He stood, quickly moving to the back of the plane.

Alice stood motioning to Jasper to come with her. Everyone else had been focused on Renesmee, no one had even see Jacob move. Alice thought she could talk to him, and that Jasper would be able to calm him down; to get him to focus.

* * *

Jacob sat in the back row of the small private jet, tucked tightly against the window. He could not watch Renesmee suffer any longer; not when he knew he had played some part in whatever was happening to his imprint right now.

Jacob heard Alice and Jasper approach him but did not bother to look at either of them. "Go away."

"You know that is not in my nature, Jacob Black." Alice plopped herself down next to him, as Jasper took a seat next to her, trying his best to control Jacob's emotions and keep the werewolf calm.

Jacob just rolled his eyes but said nothing else to the vampires seated next to him, knowing that Alice would only leave when she was good and ready to.

"It's not your fault, Jacob…" Alice started.

Jacob closed his eyes and shook his head, though he could not feel the frustration and anger that had plagued him moments earlier. He knew Jasper was to account for that and in a way he was happy; he would rather feel numb than anything. "Please just…don't…"

"Jacob. You could not control what happened here. If anything, you kept Renesmee safe…" Alice continued.

"Safe?" Jacob cut her off, feeling anger despite Jasper's best efforts. "I practically allowed her to kill herself…" He motioned to the front of the plan, where a deteriorating Renesmee sat wrapped tightly in Bella's arms.

"You didn't let her die." Alice told Jacob. "If anything, you made sure she didn't. There was no way any of us would have survived had you and you pack not shown up today."

Jacob just shook his head. He did not want to listen to Alice tell him all the reasons he was a hero; not when Renesmee was dying a few feet from him.

Alice through her hands up in frustration. "Well I tried." She stood and moved past Jasper, surprised when he did not get up to follow her. She glanced at Jasper and he just nodded, motioning for her to move back to the front of the plane. She smiled down at him and nodded back before leaving Jasper and Jacob alone.

"You're angry…" Jasper spoke up after a moment of silence. "I can tell. I can feel it coming off of you in waves."

"You think?" Jacob glared at Jasper.

"Are you angry with Renesmee or yourself?" Jasper asked.

"Me…both…I don't know…" Jacob sighed.

"It's okay to be angry with Renesmee. What she did was stupid…" Jasper told him.

"It's not okay to be angry if she dies." Jacob's eyes were glued to the seat in front of him.

"I highly doubt Carlisle would let that happen." Jasper told him.

"He may not be able to control that." Jacob glanced at Jasper, his brown eyes sad.

"I know how you feel about Renesmee…" Jasper said after a moment. "It's how I feel about Alice. It's how Edward feels about Bella…"

"Yeah…" Jacob nodded in agreement. "Maybe more."

"Maybe." Jasper nodded in agreement. "And so I can't imagine what it must feel like to even have to think about losing her…"

"There isn't much to think about." Jacob said. "If anything happens to her…well I won't be far behind her."

"I understand." Jasper nodded, and he did understand. He could not envision a world without Alice. He would follow Alice anywhere, even if that meant to death; he could only assume Jacob would do the same for Renesmee.

"It doesn't scare me." Jacob said after another moment. "If that's what you think. Death…it doesn't scare me."

"I didn't think it did." Jasper said. "Although, you seem scared."

"For her." Jacob motioned to Renesmee in the front of the plane. "She has barely gotten a chance to live. And it's not like her life has been that easy…I thought…maybe now…" He shook his head.

"Now what?" Jasper asked.

"Now that…that it might be easier for her. With you all back." Jacob explained. "But now everything just seems so screwed up. I mean…she may not even make it back to Forks, let alone back there to live…"

"You really think that?" Jasper asked.

"Oh come on…like you can't feel it coming off of her. She is dying. I can feel it…" Jacob sounded defeated.

"I can feel that." Jasper spoke honestly. "What I can't get is why you would rather spend your time back here than with her. Especially now."

Jacob nodded after a moment. "Thanks…" He knew why Jasper had come back there and he was grateful the vampire had been able to show him what was important; Renesmee. Jacob stood and made his way back to the front of the plane with Jasper a step behind him.

* * *

Bella could feel Renesmee's heartbeat now; it had picked up, but it was much too fast and sounded like it was working much too hard. She glanced down to see the sweat pouring off Renesmee's face and yet her daughter shivered with fever. Bella kissed the top of Renesmee's head and pulled her even closer to her own cold body, still trying to counteract the fever.

"Her heartbeat started up…" Bella glanced over at Edward and then at Carlisle who was now sitting across from them. Both men nodded in acknowledgment but would not look at Bella or Renesmee.

It was clear to both father and son that the child was close to death. Both Edward and Carlisle knew Renesmee's heart was beating much too fast and her temperature just continued to rise. Carlisle was no longer sure if Renesmee would even make it into the states, let alone to Washington.

Finally Edward glanced at Bella, placing his hand on her shoulder. He hated to see Bella get so reattached to Renesmee now; now when they could lose her again just as easily. He had watched her try her best to get over losing Renesmee originally and had known the pain it had caused her; he could not envision Bella going through that all again and making it out intact this time.

"Bella…" Edward whispered. "Maybe I should hold her for a bit?"

Bella glared at Edward, knowing exactly what he was doing. "I am not giving her up now. It's too late…I am attached…" She glanced down lovingly at Renesmee who looks so silly wrapped in Bella's grasp, being the same size as her mother.

Edward closed his eyes. He could not imagine losing his daughter either, but he would not lose Bella and Renesmee. He had to save one of them; he needed one of them to survive, he needed Bella to still be his reason to exist. "Bella…if she doesn't…"

"She will make it." Bella cut her husband off quickly. Before lowering her head and kissing Renesmee's forehead before whispering to her child. "Won't you, sweetie? You're stronger then this…"

Renesmee did not respond except for a slight moan. It was easy to see she was in pain now and it killed Bella to see her child like this.

"How is she doing?" Jacob appeared in the aisle with Jasper a step behind him.

"Same as before." Carlisle sighed.

Jacob glanced at Renesmee and could immediately tell Carlisle was lying. She looked worse than before.

"How much longer is the ride?" Emmett spoke up from his seat behind Bella.

"Another hour to New York…" Edward spoke up, mechanically.

"This is taking too long…" Jacob seemed angry again.

Renesmee shifted at Jacob's voice, letting out a long sigh of pain. Bella moved to try and make her daughter comfortable when suddenly Renesmee lunged up, her eyes flinging open as she cried out in pain.

"Ness?" Jacob moved to his knees so he could see Renesmee's face.

Carlisle also moved, helping Bella hold Renesmee still as she twitched, the veins in her neck popping out.

"Her eyes…" Jacob noticed that Renesmee's eyes were no longer crimson but instead a mud-red color; as if they were somewhere between red and brown.

Carlisle nodded, but focused on Renesmee. "Hold her still, Bella. This will pass."

Bella just nodded, mechanically and watched as her hands held her daughter, although she could not seem to process her own actions. It was as if she were detached from her body. Seeing Renesmee in so much pain was heartbreaking.

Carlisle was right though, and after a long minute, Renesmee slumped back into Bella's arms, as if her body had worn itself out.

"What the hell was that?" Leah was the first to break the tense silence that now filled the void of Renesmee's trashing and screaming from moments earlier.

Carlisle sighed, as if he wanted to say something but chose not to. "I am not sure…"

Edward stared at his father, noticing that Carlisle was carefully blocking his thoughts from his son. Edward assumed this meant that Carlisle knew more then he wanted them to know right now. Edward was not angry with Carlisle for this, if anything he was glad that, if Carlisle thought Renesmee's condition was far worse than it was, that he was keeping it to himself and not upsetting Bella anymore then she clearly already was.

"It could be good though?" Jacob suddenly sounded hopefully. "Her eyes…they were a mix of brown and red…maybe it means she is changing back?"

"It could…" Carlisle sighed again, although his voice did not sound too convincing. It was clear, at least to Edward, that Carlisle did not agree with Jacob's statement.

* * *

Renesmee had made it back to Washington, after an excruciating plane ride from New York to Seattle. Her eyes were no longer the same mud color they had been earlier; now they appeared to be almost orange and it had frightened everyone when she had lunged out of Bella's arms, scratching at her own neck before falling unconscious somewhere over Colorado. Since then, she had not responded to anything.

The only indication Renesmee was even alive anymore was her faint heartbeat and her shallow breathing; both things Bella constantly kept checking as she carried Renesmee from Emmett's jeep and up the stairs to the Cullen house with Edward, Jacob, and Carlisle two steps behind her.

Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Seth, Embry, and Leah all stood outside on the steps for a moment.

"Why don't you guys head back home?" Jasper looked to the wolf-pack. "Let Sam know everything that happened."

"Sure." Embry nodded, for once completely agreeing with a vampire. He was too tired and drained to watch Renesmee struggle anymore.

"Do you want us to come back?" Seth asked.

"No. We'll…let you guys know how it goes. No reason to have everyone here upset." Jasper said.

"I am not leaving." Leah stepped up. "Renesmee is my best friend and I am not leaving. Not right now, not until someone makes me."

"No one is going to make you." Esme sensed Leah's hostility. "Of course you are welcome to stay."

Leah relaxed a bit. "Thanks."

"Well…let us know…" Seth motioned to Embry to follow him in the woods.

"I can't believe how bad Renesmee looks…" Rosalie seemed to kick dirt off their front steps. "I mean…she has just deteriorated…"

"Why would she do this to herself?" Esme asked, glancing up at the house where Renesmee was.

"She thought she was doing the right thing." Emmett defended his niece. "And I mean…it worked…"

"She is practically dying…" Leah cut in, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yeah…but we got everyone back from Italy alive." Emmett grinned slightly, almost a sad grin.

"And Jane is dead." Jasper added.

"So…if nothing else, she accomplished what she wanted." Emmett said.

Alice glared, giving Emmett a slight punch to the gut. "That is our niece you are talking about!"

"I know." Emmett looked up at the house. "And I don't want a damn thing to happen to her. Don't take what I said the wrong way. It's just…I kinda got to know her the past few days and I mean…she accomplished what she wanted to, and that was the important thing to her…if something were to happen she would know she did everything she wanted to…"

"_Nothing_ is going to happen." Esme emphasized.

"Come on…you saw her. You saw Carlisle! He has no clue what to do…" Emmett said, suddenly realizing exactly what was probably going to happen to his niece.

"He will figure it out." Rosalie said. "He has to."

"What if he can't?" Leah suddenly spoke up, realizing her best friend may die. She couldn't lose Renesmee. "I mean…what are the other options?"

"What are you talking about? We have no options…" Jasper said, confused.

"We could turn her." Emmett said immediately, realizing what Leah was getting at.

"Bella would never let us do that…" Alice spoke up. "You saw how she reacted when she thought Renesmee was a vampire in Italy. It would kill her to see Renesmee get turned."

"It would kill her more if Renesmee died." Rosalie was suddenly on board with Emmett and Leah.

"Exactly…" Emmett nodded.

"This is not our decision to make." Esme spoke up, unable to believe her children were even talking in such a way. "What Bella and Edward decide to do is up to them."

"So what? We are just supposed to stand around and do nothing?" Emmett threw his hands out.

"That is exactly what we are supposed to do." Esme said. "Carlisle will handle it."

"Yeah…last time Carlisle handled it we all ended up thinking Renesmee was dead." Emmett said through a clenched door before storming into the house. He loved his niece, more than his own undead life. He couldn't imagine just letting her slip away. Not after he had gotten the chance to know her a little.

"Emmett!" Rosalie followed after her soul mate, able to tell he was upset.

Esme took a deep breath. Emmett had taken a low blow at her.

"He is just upset."Jasper told Esme, able to feel her hurt and Emmett's anger.

"We all are." Leah said, following Emmett into the house.

"She's upset to." Jasper motioned to Leah.

"They have every right to be." Esme said after a moment.

"Maybe we should…just go inside." Alice said, after a moment, feeling bad for Esme.

Esme nodded and followed Alice and Jasper into the house.

* * *

Bella carefully and swiftly carried Renesmee into Carlisle's office with Jacob, Edward, and Carlisle mere steps behind her.

"Put her on the desk." Carlisle ordered, throwing all of the paperwork off his desk.

Bella nodded and gently placed Renesmee down in the same way she used to when Renesmee was a newborn and Bella was placing her in her crib.

"Can you help her?" Jacob asked.

"I'm going to try." Carlisle was already over Renesmee with needle. "I need a blood sample." He quickly cleaned a spot on Renesmee's neck, where her vein was now popping out, and stuck his needle in, extracting a blood sample.

"What the hell is that?" Edward was horrified as he saw Renesmee's blood was the color of charcoal.

"Her…blood…" Carlisle stared at the blood, swallowing hard.

"Why…why is it that color?" Bella pushed her hair off her face before moving closer to Renesmee, clasping her hand tightly on her daughter's limp hand.

"I just…I need to run some tests…" Carlisle said quickly, trying to keep his thoughts from Edward until he could be certain.

Edward was frustrated now; mad Carlisle was trying to keep his thoughts to himself. "Stop hiding it from me, damn it!" Edward growled and stepped forward. "She is my daughter! Stop hiding whatever you are hiding from me!" He was practically in Carlisle's face right now.

Bella stood, horrified at Edward's anger as she watched Jacob move past her and grab Edward.

"Easy, Edward. That isn't going to help…" Jacob pulled Edward back.

Edward glanced at Jacob and was immediately ashamed as he could see Jacob's calm demeanor. For once Jacob was not the one who needed restraining because of his temper.

_We need him to help her before we get mad._ Jacob thought as he stared at Edward. _We need to have clear heads right now…all of us._

Edward nodded at Jacob, understanding Jacob's point of view completely. He knew Jacob was right.

By the time Edward had calmed down, Carlisle was finished running his tests on Renesmee and her blood. He turned to Edward, Jacob, and Bella.

"What is it?" Bella grew anxious as she saw the look of sadness on Carlisle's face. Her grip on Renesmee's hand tightened.

"It's exactly what I thought." Carlisle shook his head. "The venom…it poisoned her."

"What?" Jacob's face grew white.

"Poisoned?" Bella was horrified, feeling her entire body go numb as she glanced down at her beautiful daughter; her daughter who was now dying. "How?"

"She was born non-venomous." Carlisle said. "I always wondered why…"

"There was a reason for it." Edward could hear Carlisle's thoughts now. "Her body isn't meant to hold vampire venom."

"No." Carlisle shook his head. "I don't think it is."

"So when she injected herself with it…she poisoned herself." Edward was now making a statement, his voice thick with acid as he tried to restrain himself from shaking with anger and disgust. "Our venom…my…my venom is killing her…" He glanced down at Renesmee.

"Yes…" Carlisle's voice was soft.

"There has to be something we can do…" Bella pleaded, knowing she would have been crying if she could. She gently stroked Renesmee's hair, listening to her daughter's shallow breathing.

"It's in her bloodstream…the damage could be irreversible…" Carlisle scrambled for a solution in his head.

"Well we need to figure it out. We need to get it out of her!" Jacob's calm demeanor was gone now. He would not lose his Renesmee. "Damn it! Figure it out!"

"I'm trying, Jacob!" Carlisle, for the first time in centuries, was panicking; nervous he would not be able to save his granddaughter.

Carlisle's shaking voice drew silence from Bella, Edward, and Jacob. None of them had seen Carlisle in such distress before; his behavior alone made them realize just how dire the situation was. Renesmee was dying and there may not be any way to save her.


	22. Our Venom is Poisoning Her

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 21**

Bella, Jacob, Edward, and Carlisle all stood over Renesmee's limp body trying to figure out a way to save her from a certain death. Carlisle had made a point; the venom had gone straight into her blood, contaminating her almost instantly.

"What if we get the blood out?" Jacob asked.

"How?" Carlisle asked. "The venom had so much time to spread around by now…its probably everywhere."

"And we gave her so much…" Jacob shook his head, almost defeated.

"How much?" Carlisle's voice sounded more concerned.

"Look for yourself…" Jacob motioned to the box that Renesmee had found the venom in.

Carlisle turned toward the box and opened it, noticing it was empty. "My God…all of it?"

"She wanted to make sure it worked…" Jacob laughed bitterly.

"How much venom did she take, Carlisle?" Edward asked as he gripped Bella's shoulder's tightly and she squeezed Renesmee's limp hand.

"Enough to kill six men bigger then Emmett." Carlisle told them.

"You…" Bella was horrified and glaring at Jacob. "How could you let her…"

"I didn't let her!" Jacob growled, almost in Bella's face. "You think I wanted this for her?" He motioned to Renesmee. "She is my life! She is like…like my Bella…" He looked to Edward, knowing Edward would understand what he meant by that. Jacob meant that Renesmee completed him, and he couldn't live without her.

This time, Edward stepped forward, pulling Bella back and placing a hand on Jacob's shoulder. It was his turn to calm Jacob down. "We know that, Jacob…"

Jacob let out a sigh, trying to calm himself. He couldn't believe he had let anger get into his head. He had to think clearly now. "We need to figure out something…"

"If only we could decontaminate her blood…" Carlisle sighed.

"We could!" Jacob suddenly sounded optimistic. "All we need to do it get it out of her. I mean…she drinks blood! We could put some IV's in and switch the blood…like a transfusion…get the bad blood out and get new blood in her."

"We could…" Carlisle nodded. "It would be dangerous…to leave her at one point with such little blood but her body would absorb new blood readily, you are right about that…"

"But it could kill her." Edward could read Carlisle's thoughts. "There is a chance we don't get enough blood in her or it doesn't get into her cells fast enough. Then she is dead."

"She is dead anyway unless we do something." Jacob told Edward.

"We don't have to risk her life anymore than it already has been compromised." Edward said.

"Edward, what other option do we have?" Bella creased her eyebrows in confusion as she looked at her husband. As far as she was concerned, this was their only option, and Edward was wasting time talking.

"We could change her." Edward suggested, though his eyes did not meet Bella's.

"No." Bella said instantly. "Absolutely not…"

"That wouldn't even work." Jacob snorted.

"You may not like it, Jacob…" Edward started.

"No. It won't work." Jacob repeated himself. "She is allergic to the venom. Don't you get that? Otherwise she would have turned already."

Edward closed his eyes, realizing how stupid he sounded. Jacob was, of course, completely right.

"We have no other options here." Carlisle spoke up, glancing down at the still deteriorating Renesmee.

"Then we need to get blood." Edward said, almost sounding defeated.

"I need to go to the hospital. It will be easiest to get from there…" Carlisle said.

"I'll go with you." Edward offered, wanting to feel like he was helping in some way.

"Edward…" Bella started, not wanting her husband to leave her side.

"It will be okay, Bella." Edward kissed her gently. "Jacob is here with you. We will be back as soon as we can."

Bella nodded after a moment and watched as Edward bent down and kissed Renesmee softly on the cheek before heading out of the room with Carlisle a step behind him.

* * *

Carlisle and Edward descended the stairs to find five sets of eyes glued on them. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Esme, and Leah all sat or stood in the living room, eagerly waiting some sort of news.

"How is she?" Leah stood from her seat by the fireplace.

"Not good." Carlisle sighed.

"The venom…_our _venom…is poisoning her." Edward's voice was full of acid as he stood numbly, staring at the room. It was clear to Carlisle that his son was beyond worried, beyond terrified, and nowhere near as calm or hopeful as he had seemed upstairs. Clearly, Edward was putting on an act to keep Bella calm, but now that he was not with his wife, his true feelings came out.

"What do you mean?" Esme's voice was full of concern as her eyes darting between Carlisle and Edward.

"Renesmee's body is not meant to handle vampire venom. It is why she is non-venomous I believe…" Carlisle had his hands behind his back and his eyes could not meet Esme's.

"So she is dying?" Emmett seemed to growl, furious. "We let her kill herself?" He looked at Rosalie.

"It wasn't your fault, Emmett." Carlisle told his son. "You couldn't have known."

"We should have thought it through better." Rosalie agreed with Emmett, her eyes full of sorrow as she looked at Edward. "Edward, I am so sorry…"

"No one could have seen this coming…" Jasper told Rosalie. He would not let her nor Emmett blame themselves. He turned his attention toward Carlisle. "There has to be something we can do…"

Carlisle nodded. "Jacob has a plan. It's risky…but it's our only shot. We need to get the venom out of her, which means we need to drain her blood."

"You will kill her!" Leah was furious now, having taken everything in.

"We are going to get blood in her just as fast as we take it out. Her body will absorb the new blood, make it her own…she will be fine…" Carlisle said.

"Or she will die." Edward added, his distraught eyes gazing off to somewhere far beyond the confounds of the room. "Either way..she dies…"

"Not if we can save her, Edward." Alice told her brother.

"We need to get moving…" Edward continued to gaze off into space. "Carlisle and I are going to the hospital to get blood…"

"Edward, you certainly can't leave Bella upstairs with Renesmee right now. She needs you…they both do." Esme told her son.

"Jacob is with them." Edward snapped out of his trance and looked at Esme.

"Edward…if something were to happen…" Esme began but stopped herself, she did not want to finish her thought.

"Why don't I go with Carlisle?" Alice offered. "That way, Edward can stay here."

"That seems like a better idea." Esme agreed.

"Sure…" Edward agreed after a minute, though his voice sounded numb. "That's fine."

Carlisle then nodded toward Alice and the two of them took off at lightning speed out the door and toward the Forks Hospital. They knew they were on limited time now, and that every second counted if they were going to save Renesmee.

* * *

Bella had pulled a chair up next to Carlisle's desk, which Renesmee was laying across, and was gently stroking Renesmee's hair, intensely gazing at her daughter to make sure her shallow breathing and much too rapid heartbeat continued. She could not leave Renesmee's side, not now. Jacob, on the other hand, was across the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes glued to Renesmee but refusing to move closer to her. He was afraid to really see her in the condition she was in.

Suddenly, a muffled moan escaped Renesmee's lips.

"Baby? Nessie? Baby, can you hear me?" Bella was standing in an instant, her hands quickly stroking Renesmee's hair.

After a long moment, Renesmee's course expression ceased, as if she were asleep causing Bella to sigh and sink back into her chair.

"She is probably just getting ready to take that last breath." Jacob said through a clenched jaw. "I know the sound…I remember how yours sounded before…." Jacob shook his head.

Bella turned and glared at Jacob, but found in her cold unbeating heart that she could not be mad at the werewolf she called her best friend because she could see it in his distraught eyes, he loved Renesmee more than he had loved anything or anyone before and watching her die was killing him too.

Jacob looked away from Bella and sighed. "Sorry…that was…wrong."

"She isn't going to die, Jacob…" Bella spoke softly as her eyes were focused on Renesmee. "I won't let her."

"And you think I would?" Jacob stepped forward now, enraged again. "You think if I had known the consequences of her actions that I would have let her go and try and save you? Do you?"

Bella turned around, her demeanor calm despite Jacob's. She knew it was not time to fight with the hotheaded werewolf. "I would hope you wouldn't have."

"She is my life." Jacob continued to growl, his rage taking over all of his senses. "She is everything to me. My entire world revolves around her breath and if she loses that breath because she had to go play superhero to a family who only destroyed her life…"

"Destroyed?" Bella was mad now. "How did I destroy Renesmee's life?"

"By coming back into it." Jacob said, his jaw tense. "If you had never shown up…Charlie wouldn't have died and Renesmee wouldn't have turned into this angry little girl who felt like bloodlines meant more than her own safety. She was happy without you guys around…Charlie and I made her happy. Her life was perfect…"

Bella felt her heart break at every single word of Jacob's and she could not respond, except with the hurt look on her face. She glanced back at Renesmee as Jacob turned his back to them both.

"I don't doubt that you make her happy, Jacob." Bella said after a moment, her eyes still on Renesmee. "But don't think that I ever stopped loving her.

Jacob went to say something but Renesmee coughed again.

"Jake…" Renesmee's voice was a whisper, as if she had been yelling for weeks straight. It was so soft, so weak and vulnerable. "Not…now…"

Jacob's heart broke and he felt the tears well in his eyes. He quickly moved toward Renesmee, taking her hand in his and kissing it.

The heat from Jacob's touch was too much for Renesmee's body and it caused her to lung up in pain, her eyes flying open for a brief moment, and they were a dirt orange color now, exactly the color that would be expected of something poisonous, or in this case, something poisoned.

Jacob released Renesmee's hand and in an instant she calmed down, falling back into her unconscious sleep. The room fell silent afterward; neither Bella nor Jacob had anything left to say to one another.

* * *

Edward knew he belonged back upstairs with Bella and Renesmee but he felt as though he was suffocating in that room. He needed a few moments to clear his head and so he decided the best place to do that was outside where he could feel the calm sense of the woods around him.

Edward had not been alone on the porch of the Cullen's home long before he heard the door open behind him. Had it been anyone else, he would have told them to leave him alone, but he couldn't do that, not to the person who had came out, not to Esme.

Esme slid next to Edward in silence, and gently placed a hand on his statue-like back.

Edward shook a little under his mother's touch. "I would cry right now if I could." He said softly.

"I know. We all would." Esme told him. "But this isn't over yet, Edward. Carlisle will save her."

"I don't know if he can." Edward turned slowly to look at Esme. "I don't think I can watch Bella lose Renesmee again. Once was enough…"

"Honey, I don't think you can lose her again either." Esme said. "I don't think any of us can."

Edward nodded in agreement after a moment and allowed silence to fill the air before clearing his throat. "Do you think we did this to Renesmee? By not leaving? By coming back here?"

"Edward, you didn't know who she was. Carlisle and I made the mistake of thinking this would somehow work out…" Esme told him immediately. "Don't blame yourself for that."

"But you and Carlisle weren't the problem. It was the rest of us…" Edward said. "Renesmee has been in contact with you two for years and nothing like this has happened…"

"Edward, it was obviously only a matter of time before the Volturi found her again. I am grateful we were here to help…" Esme said.

"Maybe not…they have been tracking us as a group, never the two of you alone. By coming here…we brought them down on Renesmee…we got Charlie killed…we got kidnapped and now Renesmee…" Edward glanced up at the window to Carlisle's office before looking back at Esme. "Maybe we were never meant to be a part of her life."

"Edward, you are her father and Bella is her mother and we are her family. We all belong in Renesmee's life." Esme said. "Don't ever forget that."

"What little life she has left…" Edward sighed.

"Edward, I think you should go upstairs if you feel that way and watch Renesmee…because she is a fighter. She won't go down that easily, trust me…I know my granddaughter." Esme said and meant it. She couldn't imagine Renesmee going down without a fight.

Edward smiled a little as Esme called Renesmee her granddaughter and then nodded. "Maybe you are right. I don't know her that well…"

"Then you will have a lot of catching up to do after all of this is over." Esme smiled back at him before giving him another pat on the shoulder and shoeing him into the house and up the stairs, in the direction of Carlisle's office.

* * *

Carlisle and Alice quickly made their way into the blood storage closet on the third floor in the Forks Hospital. Carlisle worked at the hospital in Cassleville but did not know it nearly as well as the Forks Hospital, and did not want to risk getting lost or drawing attention to himself so he figured the hospital in Forks would be their best bet of getting blood quickly, without anyone stopping them.

Once inside the small closet, Alice turned to Carlisle. "What kind of blood does Renesmee take?"

"I have no idea." Carlisle admitted. "She drinks any kind so I would assume her body can take anything. We are going to need a lot."

"Then I am grabbing as much as I can." Alice said.

Carlisle nodded and joined his daughter in stuffing their bags full of blood packets. He prayed silently that this would be enough for Renesmee, that Jacob's plan would work.

When they were finished gathering the blood, they both stood in silence and quickly made their way out of the hospital and toward Carlisle's car, where they both got in and took off in the direction of their house in silence.

"Do you think this will work?" Alice asked after a long minute.

"I don't see why it wouldn't. In theory it make sense…" Carlisle said.

"In theory Renesmee should have been turned into a vampire when she took that venom." Alice reminded him.

"Well, Nessie seems to defy a lot of theories…" Carlisle said.

"Let's hope this one is the exception then." Alice sighed. "I can't imagine…if something were to happen to her…"

"I know." Carlisle nodded. Renesmee was his granddaughter, he could not imagine losing her.

"I already love her so much." Alice admitted. "Despite how she may feel about us."

"Give Renesmee time. After this is all sorted out…she will come around." Carlisle told his daughter.

Alice nodded. "First we need to save her."

Carlisle returned Alice's nod and hit the gas pedal even harder, knowing every second counted if he were going to save Renesmee's life.

* * *

Edward slowly made his way up the stairs and into Carlisle's office, taking a deep unneeded breath as he entered. He found Bella still sitting next to Renesmee' gracefully wiping away sweat beads from her daughter's face. Jacob was now leaning against the window, looking out on the yard below. Neither Jacob nor Bella turned to Edward when he entered, though he knew they could both hear him.

"How is she doing?" Edward asked Bella as he motioned to Renesmee, taking a step closer to both of them.

"The same." Bella said, weakly, though her dark eyes did not leave Renesmee. Bella could not remember the last time she fed, not that it mattered when her daughter was in such a weak condition.

"She is worse than before." Jacob corrected Bella, and turned to Edward. "Did you get the blood?"

"Carlisle and Alice went. They should be back soon." Edward said, making his way toward Bella and his child and gently placing his hand on Bella's shoulder.

"Why didn't you go, Edward?" Bella asked.

"They thought it would be better if I stayed here with you and Renesmee." Edward explained, eyeing Renesmee up. She did look worse than earlier.

"Why? In case you had no time with her by the time you got back?" Jacobs jaw was clenched and his anger was causing him to shake.

Bella ignored Jacob, knowing she would kick him out if Renesmee wasn't his imprint. She could not stand his negativity right now. "She woke up for a bit…" She glanced up at Edward.

"She did?" Edward smiled. If Renesmee had been up then maybe she was not as bad as they all thought she had been.

"If you call choking and spitting waking up…" Jacob snorted.

"She said Jacob's name…" Bella told Edward, continuing to ignore the werewolf in the corner.

"Yeah…then she coughed and spit…" Jacob added, knowing the vivid image he was giving in his mind was something that Edward could hear and picture.

Edward looked at Bella who just looked back at their daughter, her back hunched over as if she were defeated. He wished she would let him in her thoughts now, but her shield was up and she was not about to share her feelings with her husband.

"Her heartbeat is slower…" Edward commented after a moment of silence. "Maybe that's good…its slowing down now…"

"It's too slow now." Jacob commented. "Trust me…I know the perfect sound of her perfect heartbeat and that isn't it."

"I know…but its better slower then overworking itself…" Edward said simply.

"It's only slower because she is dying…isn't it?" Jacob's head hung now as the words fell out of his mouth, as if his whole world had been crushed in a matter of minutes.

"She is just…losing steam…tired is all…" Edward could feel Jacob's pain at the idea of losing Renesmee through the werewolves thoughts and he knew he would be eternally grateful to Jacob for caring for Renesmee in such a way.

"She is dying." Jacob said, although the anger was gone from his voice now, instead pain filled it. "I can feel it…its suffocating this room…"

"No she isn't." Bella finally snapped toward Jacob. "She's not dying."

"How would you even know?" Jacob looked up at Bella's, his big brown eyes full of defeat. "You have no idea what death feels like. You couldn't have a clue…you're already dead."

Bella stared at Jacob a moment longer and then turned away, focusing back in on her daughter and trying so hard not so absorb Jacob's words. They had cut her, deep. He had always known how to push her buttons, but this time, she wondered if he was right. How would she know anything about death? She would never die, not really.

* * *

Carlisle and Alice quickly made their way back into the house where they found Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Esme, and Leah all in the living room practically in the same positions they had been in when they left.

"Did you get the blood?" Leah asked.

Alice and Carlisle both held up bags full of blood bags.

"We certainly did." Alice gave a small half smile.

"You had better get upstairs then, Carlisle." Esme told her husband.

"Yeah…Nessie's heartbeat is faint…we can barely hear it down here anymore." Emmett said from his seat on the couch, his head in his hands. The last few hours had been hard on him; he felt as though he had already bonded with Renesmee on their short trip to Italy and couldn't imagine losing his niece now.

Carlisle nodded. "I'll see what I can do…" He took the bag from Alice and was up the stairs in half a minute.

"Has Bella come down?" Alice asked.

"She hasn't left Renesmee's side." Jasper moved so he could wrap his arms around Alice.

"Could you blame her?" Rosalie asked. "That is her daughter up there…"

"The daughter she just realized was alive weeks ago…" Leah snorted.

Rosalie turned and glared at the wolf. "We don't have to let you stay here, dog…"

"I think I constitute Renesmee's family long before you do, leech!" Leah was standing in an instant.

"Rosalie…not now." Esme warned. "Leah has just as much right to be here as the rest of us do. She has known Renesmee her entire life…"

"Longer then all of us…" Emmett said into his hands. "Longer then we may ever get to know her…" He sighed and leaned back. It was really killing him, knowing Renesmee was sick like this.

The rest of the room fell silent. Everyone seemed to be absorbing the weight of Emmett's words and the tone of his voice. All of his siblings knew that if he were ever upset, if his humorous demeanor was gone, then things had gotten really serious. Clearly now they had.

* * *

Carlisle made his way quickly through his office doors to find Bella over Renesmee, stroking her hair, and Edward behind Bella, squeezing his wife's shoulders. Jacob stood in the corner of the room, near the window, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"Did you get everything, Carlisle?" Edward asked, without turning to see his father.

"Yes." Carlisle moved quickly around the desk and began setting up a drip. "How is she doing?"

"Not so good…" Bella looked up at Carlisle and he could tell, if she were able to cry, she would be.

"Well…let me just set up and we can get started…" Carlisle's hands were moving in a blur, but he could tell Bella's eyes were still glued on him. "Bella…there is no reason why this won't work…"

"I hope so…" Bella sighed, placing a kiss on Renesmee's feverish forehead.

"Me too…" Carlisle smiled gently at Bella.

"There's no hoping involved." Jacob growled. "It will work…" He glared at Carlisle. "Or else…"

Carlisle just gave Jacob a nod of acknowledgment before continuing to set everything up.


	23. Wait and See

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 22**

Carlisle had set everything up in mere seconds and now moved his two desk lights over Renesmee's failing body. He glanced up to see Bella still cradling Renesmee's hand in hers, gently smoothing out her daughter's blonde locks, as Edward stood with his hands on Bella's shoulders and Jacob stood opposite the couple, near Renesmee's other hand.

"I am going to need some help." Carlisle looked up between the werewolf and two vampires in front of him.

"Whatever you need." Edward said, his voice soft and his eyes never leaving Bella as she held their daughter's hand.

"I need you to help me drain her, Edward." Carlisle said. He would not ask Bella to do that, not because she was the youngest vampire. He was sure she could handle herself; he would just never ask a mother who loved a child the way Bella did to help him drain her daughter's blood. He knew Edward could handle it; just like he had handled draining some of Bella's blood years earlier when James had bitten her.

Carlisle's request caused Edward to look away from his wife, his eyes big. "Me?"

"I need help." Carlisle repeated. "I won't ask Bella to do it…"

Bella turned, her eyes pleading with Edward as she let her shield down so that her husband could hear her thoughts. _I need you to do this, Edward. I can't…I can't do that to her…_

Edward took a deep breath and nodded. If Bella needed him to this for her then he would; although he was not fond of the idea of draining the blood from his own child.

"And Jacob…I need you to get the blood in her." Carlisle moved a box full of bags of blood toward Jacob. "Hook them up to the IV." He pointed toward the IV stand he had set up near Renesmee's head.

"Do you think that is the quickest way to get it in her?" Jacob asked.

"How else would we?" Carlisle asked.

"I mean…if she gets her strength back a little…shouldn't she drink it?" Jacob asked. "She would like it better anyway…"

"If she is conscious enough then by all means let her drink, just don't undo the IV." Carlisle said. "You have to watch Edward and I as we drink…we need to keep this steady and keep the blood flow regular."

"Sure, sure." Jacob nodded.

"Bella…just please keep Renesmee calm, and keep track of her heartbeat…make sure its still working." Carlisle said.

Bella nodded, unable to find any words in her mouth; her throat suddenly felt dry, but not dry from thirst, dry from worry.

"This will work." Edward squeezed Bella's shoulder as he kissed her neck and moved down to take Renesmee's hand from Bella's.

Bella weakly handed Renesmee's hand to her husband and sat down in the seat next to the desk Renesmee was on. She focused on her child; the one she would gladly die for all over again to keep safe.

"Ready?" Carlisle looked toward Edward and Jacob as he grabbed Renesmee's other wrist.

Both Edward and Jacob nodded although they both seemed a bit shaken. Jacob pulled the bag of blood high, allowing the clean blood to start entering Renesmee's veins.

"Okay…let's go to work. Edward…when it tastes clean we must stop." Carlisle said.

Edward just nodded, and then watched Carlisle, before anyone could say another thing, clamp his teeth down on Renesmee's wrist.

Renesmee, despite being half conscious, immediately shot up in pain as Carlisle's teeth dug deeper into her skin, sucking her blood. Edward's teeth then sunk into his daughter's other wrist and Renesmee's eyes rolled back into her head as she collapsed back onto the desk, withering in pain as her heart began to work double-time.

Bella squirmed as if she had been stabbed a million times by Renesmee's sharp screams. She hating seeing her child in this position when there was nothing she could do for her baby.

* * *

Silence filled the living room of the Cullen home as Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Leah all waited for some new, any news about Renesmee. They had watched Carlisle climb the stairs at least five minutes ago with the blood supply for Renesmee and were all anxious to hear something.

And they got their wish; within seconds Renesmee's blood curling screams filled the house.

Leah stood at the sound of the shrieks. "Something isn't right."

"You don't know that." Rosalie shot back at the werewolf, rather quickly.

"No one should scream like that." Leah motioned up the stairs.

"Carlisle knows what he is doing." Jasper added.

Leah just shook her head and moved toward the stairs, but was blocked in a flash by Emmett's big body. "You're not going up there."

"She is my best friend! I am not going to let her suffer up there!" Leah told Emmett.

"And she is my niece." Emmett said. He was not about to let Leah go up the stairs and break Carlisle's concentration, not now.

"Leah, please just calm down." Esme spoke softly.

"Don't give me that crap." Leah glared at Esme. "You act like you don't even care."

"Of course I care." Esme said, her brows creasing together. "That is my grandchild up there!"

Leah was silent for a moment. Never had she heard Esme raise her voice before; she didn't even know Esme could.

"Sit back down." Emmett said, his arms folded across his chest.

Leah glared at Emmett as Renesmee's screams again filled the house. "No." She stepped toward Emmett.

Emmett stepped back at Leah. He had no problem pushing the wolf back if he needed to, whether she was a girl or not.

Alice managed to squeeze her way between Leah and Emmett before either of them could hit the other. She quickly turned to Leah. "Leah, please…just relax and sit back down."

Leah shook her head at Alice's request. "No way…if something is wrong…"

"We will know one way or another soon enough." Alice cut Leah off. "So until we know something for certain, there is no reason to get worked up." Alice glanced at Jasper.

Jasper nodded, knowing what Alice wanted simply by her stare. He quickly did his best to calm Leah and gave Alice a small smile when Leah seemed to relax and drift back to her seat. She was calm, for now, but Jasper did not know how long he could keep the wolf calm. She was extremely anxious.

* * *

After what seemed like forever, Carlisle and Edward finally pulled their lips from Renesmee's limp wrists. They had drained all of her toxic blood and now could only hope that Jacob was getting new, clean, blood into her fast enough.

"How is it looking, Jacob?" Carlisle asked.

"Last bag." Jacob hooked up the final bag of blood to the Renesmee's IV. His plan for having her drink had failed when Renesmee fell unconscious after a few seconds of Edward and Carlisle draining her and was now silent sleeping, her heartbeat steady.

"She looks so fragile." Bella whispered, her hand still gently running through Renesmee's curly blonde locks and her eyes vacant. She looked as if she had seen a ghost while she watched Edward and Carlisle suck the Renesmee's blood.

"She has been through a lot." Edward told Bella, moving to touch her shoulder.

Bella flinched from his grasp, not on purpose, just out of shock. She couldn't believe she had watched Edward suck the life from their daughter; she knew he had done it to save Renesmee but still.

"Do you think it worked?" Jacob asked.

"Well, we are still not out of the woods quite yet. All we can do now is wait and see." Carlisle sighed. "When she wakes up we will know more."

"When will that be?" Jacob asked, sounding more confident now that his plan had worked.

"When she is ready." Bella narrowed her eyes at Jacob.

Jacob just shook his head at Bella, but went back to pulling Renesmee's IV apart as the last drops of clean blood entered her veins.

"I should go tell everyone that things are looking better." Carlisle said, moving toward the door and out of the office.

"Well her color is coming back." Jacob noticed, pointing to Renesmee.

Bella looked at Renesmee's cheeks and, for the first time since they had arrived home, smiled. Jacob was right, Renesmee's cheeks were a little deeper than before.

"You know…I got her now…I can keep an eye on her." Jacob was collected now, as he sat down by the windowsill. Renesmee was getting better and he could think a little more clearly and he knew the only thing that mattered in the world now was Renesmee. He would not leave her side until she made him.

"It's okay…" Bella continued to smile as she stared at Renesmee. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

"Really, Bella…I got it." Jacob said, knowing Bella would not want to be the first thing Renesmee saw when she woke up.

"I'm not leaving Jacob…" Bella said.

Jacob went to say something, but Edward was already in his head and knew Jacob's thoughts. He quickly decided to cut the wolf off before things between Bella and Jacob got heated.

"Jacob…can I speak with you outside for a minute?" Edward asked.

Jacob glanced back at Renesmee and then back to Edward.

"Now…please?" Edward was already at the door, holding it open for Jacob.

Jacob felt he had no choice but to follow Edward into the hall so he sighed and nodded, making his way out the door as Edward followed behind him.

* * *

Carlisle descended the staircase to find six sets of anxious eyes on him. By the time he reached the last step the five vampires and one werewolf could not wait any longer.

"How is she?" Esme asked.

"Renesmee?" Carlisle glanced toward his wife.

"No. You're other grandkid…" Leah glared sarcastically at Carlisle.

"Renesmee is doing…as well as can be expected." Carlisle said, ignoring Leah's icy tone. He would not be mad at the wolf for caring so much about his granddaughter.

"Did you…get the poison out?" Emmett asked, unable to look at Carlisle. Emmett couldn't help it; he felt responsible for Renesmee almost killing herself. After all, he had certainly not stopped her from taking the venom; if anything he encouraged her to make her own decision to save their family.

"We did." Carlisle nodded. "And we got new blood in her…it's just a matter of time now to see how it all goes."

"Well…if you got the new blood in her then everything should be fine, right?" Leah asked.

"It's not that simple…" Carlisle said. "Regardless of what happens…Renesmee still has a long road ahead of her to recover from this."

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked.

"I mean…we can't be sure of any side effects of the poison or new blood until she wakes up…" Carlisle said. "Unfortunately, we are not out of this yet."

"If she took the blood and she isn't dead then how is there still a problem?" Leah asked.

"What kind of side effects are we talking about?" Alice spoke over Leah.

Carlisle turned to Alice, ignoring Leah and slightly aggravating the wolf in the process. "I have no idea what the venom did to her system…the effects it could have. I also have no idea how she is going to react from the blood transfusion. I don't even know her blood type…and how a transfer would work with a hybrid."

"Could it have weakened her?" Jasper asked, speculating where Carlisle was taking the conversation.

"It could have. Her body may also reject it…or it could absorb it like nothing. We really won't know anything until she wakes up…and is monitored." Carlisle sighed.

"But she is stable now?" Esme asked.

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. As stable as she can be. We just have to wait."

Everyone in the room grew silent upon Carlisle's advice. They all knew waiting would be the hardest part now; each of them loving Renesmee so much already, most of them hardly knowing her. She was family though, and the Cullen's cared deeply about family.

* * *

Jacob followed Edward to the end of the hall, clearly out of the hearing distance of Bella's vampire senses. When they reached the end, Edward stopped, standing by the far window, his eyes drifting to the driveway as the sun hit his skin in patches, causing him to sparkle slightly.

"Look, I am sure this is important but I want to be there when Renesmee wakes up…" Jacob started.

Edward turned around to face Jacob in the blink of an eye, his face calm but his mouth tense in the corners. "I heard…in Bella's thoughts…before she blocked me…what you said to her."

"When?" Jacob was confused.

"While I was out of the room." Edward said. "I don't appreciate you telling Bella that she destroyed her _own_ daughter's life by coming back into it…"

Jacob looked away from Edward, his eyes dropping to the floor as he searched for something to say. "I…I know…I shouldn't have said that. I just…I was so worried about Renesmee and it just…I just started talking and…" Jacob shook his head, looking back up at Edward. "I'm sorry."

"Well, you should be apologizing to Bella…not me." Edward told him, running a hand through his hair.

Jacob nodded after a moment. "Yeah…I know."

"She does love Renesmee, Jacob. We all do…but Bella especially…she is her mom." Edward reminded Jacob. "She kept Renesmee alive when none of us even wanted her brought into this world. Bella made her life possible…"

"I know that too…" Jacob nodded again. "And don't think I don't hate myself for wanting Renesmee dead."

"I wanted her dead too…" Edward said quickly, recalling how he had felt when he had first found out Bella was pregnant with Renesmee. "But we didn't know what she was…"

"And now we do." Jacob said. "And to me…Renesmee is my world. Everything. I revolve around her…that's why I said what I said to Bella…because I was angry…"

"I know that." Edward said quickly. "And I also know all you have ever done for Renesmee, and I do appreciate that. We all do…but it doesn't give you a right to speak to Bella like that."

Jacob's thoughts were clear as day to Edward, though his words must more obscure. "It's just hard to let go of the past…"

"We didn't abandoned Renesmee, Jacob." Edward heard the thoughts behind Jacob's words. "And now that we know she is here…we won't be leaving her again. We are going to be in her life too now…"

"I don't think I am the one who will have the biggest problem with that." Jacob said. "And I am sorry if you think I don't want you around for Nessie. I do…actually. I think it may be exactly what she needs."

"Good." Edward nodded.

"But I don't think she will agree." Jacob added quickly.

"We will have to wait and see." Edward said.

"If she ever wakes up." Jacob sighed.

"She will wake up." Edward assured him.

Jacob glanced back down at his feet before he looked back at Edward. "I know…if you just give her time…and break through her hard ass appeal…I know Renesmee wants you around. Deep down…I think it's all she has ever wanted."

Edward's brow creased at Jacob's words and then he just gave the werewolf a simple nod. "Well then…I hope we can get through to her now."

"Nessie can be a hardhead sometimes…" Jacob warned.

Edward smiled his crooked smile at Jacob's comment. "So I have noticed."

"If you need help…I want to help you and Bella both get to know Nessie better. After all, you guys are really the only family she's got now and she needs family." Jacob said.

"I agree…but we will worry about it when she wakes up." Edward said. "Right now…I need you to apologize to Bella."

"I'm not five…and I used to be Bella's best friend." Jacob said as he motioned to Carlisle's office. "If I go in there now Bella will just think it's because you asked me too…and she will be mad at both of us."

Edward smiled again, nodding. He knew Jacob was right. "Fine. But you will…"

"I will, I will." Jacob nodded, patting Edward on the back before moving past the vampire and down the stairs, his thoughts letting Edward know he was starving from not eating anything since they had returned from Italy.

* * *

Bella sat silently next to Renesmee, gently holding her daughter's hand in her own. She examined Renesmee's face, noticing every single feature that Renesmee had gotten from Edward; she was all Edward, except for her big brown eyes, but those were closed now, and Bella could not trace a single trait of Renesmee's that would show she was her daughter despite the fact that Bella had carried Renesmee in her womb.

Renesmee stirred a little, causing Bella to stiffen. She couldn't take the anticipation of waiting for Renesmee to wake up; she was worried what kind of irreversible damage the venom had caused her daughter.

"Ness?" Bella spoke softly.

Renesmee stirred a little more, her hand tightening on Bella's, though her eyes still closed. She let out a small grunt.

"Ness? Baby?" Bella said a little more loudly; she was excited and relieved that Renesmee seemed to be coming out of her near death experience.

Slowly, Renesmee started to open her eyes, and to Bella's relief, they were the same deep chocolate color they had been the day Bella gave birth to her daughter.

"Nessie!" Bella couldn't help but smile and pulled her daughter up into a tight hug.

"Ughh…" Renesmee felt rather weak and could not withstand Bella's strong grip at the moment.

Bella realized she was crushing her daughter and quickly let her go. "Sorry, baby…I'm sorry."

Renesmee sat up slowly, shaking her head. "What…where is Jacob?"

"He is out in the hall…" Bella said.

"I need him." Renesmee cut Bella off.

"I am sure he is coming back in soon…" Bella started.

"I. Need. Him." Renesmee said, as her arms started to shake. She quickly lowered herself back down to the table, still too weak to really move. "Get him."

Bella nodded, numbly. She could see the rage in Renesmee's eyes. Despite the fact that her daughter was visibly so much weaker then she had ever been there was no desire in Renesmee's eyes to have her mother stand by her side. The hostility toward Bella still raged deep within Renesmee, despite everything that had happened and it broke Bella's heart.


	24. She Smoked Weed!

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 23**

Bella slowly descended the stairs, a slightly blank look on her face as she made it to the living room where Edward, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Leah were all waiting for her. They had heard her call Jacob up the stairs moments earlier and were all curious as to why.

"Bella?" Edward immediately moved toward her, confusion as to why she looked so vacant and her shield was up.

Immediately Bella fell into Edward's arms and her shield was down. He could distinctly see the look of rage in Renesmee's eyes as she woke up and asked for only Jacob.

Edward smoothed her hair and kissed Bella's forehead, whispering softly in her ear. "At least Nessie is awake now…she is alive…"

Bella nodded into Edward's kiss.

"How is she?" Leah asked, not caring that Edward and Bella were clearly having a moment. She was worried about Renesmee.

Bella glanced over at Leah, slightly shocked by the girl's brashness.

Bella's blank stare made Leah feel a little bad about being so abrasive. "I…we saw Jacob run up the stairs…" She motioned to the staircase. "Is…is Nessie okay?"

"I don't really know." Bella said after a minute, glancing around the room to avoid eye contact with one person. "She…she wanted Jacob. I didn't really talk to her…"

"But she was talking…" Leah pressed again.

"If she called for Jacob, she is talking." Emmett glared at Leah. He could tell Bella was completely emotionally drained, more so then all of them combined, and now that he knew Renesmee was at least alive he could focus on something else, and that was Leah not pushing Bella. He had grown to almost dislike the werewolf in the past few hours and he had no problems showing it.

Leah glared back at Emmett.

"Enough." Rosalie glanced between Emmett and Leah. She knew no one else could take any more pressure added on and that it was not the time and place to be bickering.

"Carlisle…maybe you should go check on Nessie?" Edward broke the tension in the room, changing the subject.

Carlisle nodded at his son. "Yes…I should."

"Do you want a hand?" Jasper offered as he wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulder. "I mean…I could keep her calm if you think she needs it…" Jasper was not sure what state of mind Renesmee would be in.

"I…don't know…." Carlisle turned to Bella. "Bella, you are the only one who has been with her…would Jasper need…"

"No." Bella cut Carlisle off, knowing where his sentence was going. "She seemed fine. I don't think her temper will be any problem."

Carlisle nodded and then moved passed everyone and up the stairs, making his way down the hall to his office, truly hoping that Renesmee would be absolutely fine and they could all just move on as a family.

* * *

Jacob watched as Renesmee slowly sat up on Carlisle's desk, rubbing her eyes as if she had been asleep for days. Her color was returning, although nowhere near its normal shade.

"Maybe you should take it easy…" Jacob moved, gently rubbing Renesmee back.

"I'm fine." Renesmee glanced up at Jacob, shrugging his hand away from her. "Really. You don't have to worry."

"Yeah well…that's the thing." Jacob said down next to Renesmee on the desk. "We were worried. _All _of us."

"Well…no reason to be…" Renesmee squinted, her head was throbbing as if she had been hit by a truck. "I'm fine."

"You know…your mother never left your side." Jacob said, glancing up at Renesmee.

Renesmee snorted. "Please…don't…don't start that with me. Not right now." Renesmee stretched her neck out, fidgeting her leg as she did so. She felt antsy, and she didn't know why.

"Renesmee, you need to give them a chance. They do love you. You know that, right?" Jacob asked.

Renesmee hopped off the table. "Jacob, please. I don't need this. Not from you." Renesmee's hands were shaking as she spoke. "I just…need you to be with me right now."

"I am…I am." Jacob stood, wrapping his arms around Renesmee's now quivering body, and kissing her forehead gently. "Nessie..are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." Renesmee suddenly pushed away from Jacob, her eyes shifting in her head. "I just…I have a headache…that's all."

Jacob nodded slowly. Something was not right with Renesmee, and he knew it was more than just a simple headache. She was fidgeting, shaking, and seemed to almost be sweating. "Maybe I should get Carlisle?"

"Uh…sure…sure." Renesmee nodded, rubbing her temples as she flopped herself down in the chair Bella had occupied hours earlier.

Jacob nodded and moved swiftly out into the hallway, not making it more than five feet before practically bumping into Carlisle.

"Jacob?" Carlisle seemed surprised to see the werewolf. "I thought you were with Renesmee?"

"I was…I…I was actually coming to get you." Jacob said.

"Is something wrong?" Carlisle was immediately concerned.

"Actually…I think there is." Jacob said, truthfully. "I know this was all a traumatic experience, but…Nessie just doesn't seem right. She was all over the place…and shaking…"

Carlisle nodded. "I will check her out. Please, Jacob, why don't you wait downstairs?" Carlisle stepped aside, motioning to the staircase. "I'm sure I'll be down in a few minutes…I'll let you know if anything is wrong."

Jacob nodded and accepted Carlisle's advise, slipping passed the vampire-doctor and moving quickly down the hall, toward the stairs as he heard Carlisle open and close his own office door.

* * *

Jacob made his way down the stairs to still find all of the Cullen's and Leah in the exact same position they had been in when Carlisle had ascended the stairs. Immediately all of their eyes were on the wolf as he jumped off the last step.

"What?" Jacob looked around.

"Why are you down here?" Bella asked. "I thought Renesmee wanted you."

"She did…but Carlisle is checking up on her right now…I didn't think I needed to be there for that." Jacob explained.

"But…she is doing better?"Rosalie asked. She had felt a connection with Renesmee over the past few days and hoped it would last when Renesmee was better.

"Why don't you go up and see when Carlisle is done?" Jacob looked at her and then glanced around the room. "Maybe you all should…"

"She doesn't want us in there…" Bella started.

"Sitting around down here isn't going to get her to be any closer to any of you. Renesmee is tough but she isn't unbreakable…but sitting around like you are scared of her is only going to make her know how easy it is to push you around." Jacob was slightly annoyed when he realized they were all almost avoiding Renesmee because of her temper. He knew if they wanted to be in her life they would have to work for it.

"We want to give her some time…" Bella said.

"Time isn't what she needs, trust me." Jacob said. "She needs a family…some authority. I mean…I love her to death but sometimes she needs to be put in her place. She looks older but she really is only seven…her life experience is limited and bottom line…" He turned to Bella and Edward. "You guys are her parents. You're in charge…don't let her step on you."

"She just practically died…" Emmett spoke up. "I don't think trying to give her her way right now is a bad thing. If she wants us to leave her alone…"

"She is fine." Jacob said, although he wasn't exactly sure of that; something about Renesmee seemed off. "It's like it didn't even happen to her…aside from a little headache. Don't treat her so fragilely, because she isn't."

"Jacob's got a point there." Leah spoke up. "If you give her the chance…Nessie will do things her way, and sometimes her way isn't the best. Sometimes she needs some parental supervision."

"And now she needs a family." Jacob added. "More than ever. Charlie is gone…you guys are it. If you want to be in her life you are going to have to work hard, trust me. But it will be worth it."

"What do you suggest we do?" Edward spoke up after a moment. He knew Jacob knew Renesmee better than anyone and that, in this instance, the wolf was probably right.

"I think the first thing you should do it let Carlisle check her out…and when she comes down…make her be part of this family." Jacob said. "You're all she has left…she can't avoid you forever."

"What if she doesn't want to stay here?" Alice spoke up, wrapping her arm around

"Where else would she go?" Jacob asked, throwing his large arms out slightly. "She is just a kid…she needs a family structure."

"That she does…" Leah laughed to herself, images of the dumb things Renesmee had done in the past while non was watching her running through her mind; a distinct memory of Renesmee accidently pulling the back door off of Charlie's house when she was trying to get a keg out of the house as Charlie was walking in the front door.

Edward saw the images as he read Leah's thoughts and laughed to himself a little as well. He could see that Renesmee did have a very playful side; they just had to get her to open up to them.

Bella glanced at Edward, confused by why he would possibly be laughing. Immediately he stopped.

"We will work on it then." Edward told Jacob.

Jacob nodded, and then looked over to Leah. "Leah, why don't you head home? Tell the pack everything is okay and under control. I will be home soon…once I know Renesmee is all good."

"Sure." Leah nodded and was out the door in seconds.

Jacob's thoughts then became clear as he was no longer concerned with how the Cullen's were acting and Edward could immediately read them, seeing Jacob's worry for Renesmee. Edward could tell Jacob didn't think Renesmee was as fine as he led everyone on to be. His eyes narrowed at Jacob.

"What?" Jacob asked, his brow furrowing at Edward.

Edward was stuck at a crossroads; he knew he couldn't call Jacob out for his thoughts without worrying everyone in the rest of the room but he wanted to know exactly why Jacob thought Renesmee was not okay. He sighed, deciding he would just have to wait for Carlisle to tell them. He hoped Jacob was wrong, but he had a feeling, by Jacob's worried thoughts, that the wolf was not.

* * *

Carlisle entered his office to find Renesmee sitting on his desk, her head down and sweat pouring down the sides of her face, as if she had just run a marathon. He cautiously walked up to her.

"Renesmee?" Carlisle asked.

Renesmee slowly lifted her head, her eyes fluttering open to look at her grandfather. "I don't feel so good."

"You don't look very good either." Carlisle admitted. "What's wrong?" He was already busy strapping the blood pressure cuff to her arm.

"I don't know…" Renesmee admitted. "It's gotten worse since I woke up…my head is pounding, I'm sweating…I can't stay still…I just feel like my head is going to explode…"

"And your blood pressure is rather high." Carlisle admitted.

Renesmee nodded. "I figured…my heart feels like it's going even faster than usual."

"Its probably a side effect to everything. I must ask…how long was the venom in your system before you felt sick…" Carlisle asked, trying to figure out what was wrong with his granddaughter.

"A while…" Renesmee said, her eyes closing again as if she was trying to concentrate. "But…at first it felt great…like better than any high I've ever had on weed…"

"Weed?" Carlisle questioned.

Renesmee opened her eyes, rolling them at Carlisle. "Come on…you know Charlie caught me with it a few times…"

Carlisle nodded; he had forgotten about that. "Well…the venom was probably like a drug to your system…and you overdosed on it…"

Renesmee nodded, not saying anything.

"And now it's out of your system…" Carlisle realized he was onto something; suddenly the light bulb went off in his head. "Renesmee…I know what is wrong with you."

Renesmee nodded, having a feeling she knew exactly what her grandfather would say. She could see it now, read all the signs, Carlisle's words had only put the pieces together in her head.

* * *

Edward and Bella had moved themselves to the couch in the Cullen living room, not because they needed to but because Bella still remembered being human, and the need to sit. Jacob sat on the bottom of the stairs eating a turkey sandwich. Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett were still frozen in the exact same positions they had been the entire time Renesmee had been in Carlisle's office. Every single head turned toward the stairs though as Carlisle descended, followed by a shaking Renesmee who seemed to be grasping on the railing for support as sweat dripped down her forehead.

Jacob was the first to react to the sight of Renesmee, noticing she looked even worse than before.

"Ness!" Jacob climbed the stairs in a flash, pulling her clammy frame close to his, his eyes searching hers for an answer. "What's wrong?"

"Phffft." Renesmee snorted, pushing Jacob off of her so she could finish her decent down the stairs.

"Nessie?" Jacob was still worried, following after her. "Should you be walking?" He glanced up at Carlisle. "Should she be walking?"

"Relax." Renesmee said, reached the bottom of the stairs before collapsing down to take a seat on the last one. "It's only going to get worse before it gets better."

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Edward was standing now, his eyes glaring at Carlisle. Carlisle's thoughts were moving so fast even Edward was having a hard time hearing them. "You said the transfer would work."

"And it did." Carlisle said. "Renesmee _will _be fine."

Renesmee stood, glancing at Carlisle. "While you explain this…can I go lay down?"

Carlisle nodded. "There is a spare bedroom off the dining room."

Renesmee nodded and slowly made her way out of the living room.

"Carlisle? What happened?" Bella had been in shock to see Renesmee in such bad shape and now her motherly instincts were kicking in full blast.

"Something came up that I didn't anticipate…didn't even think about." Carlisle began.

"Just spit it out, Carlisle." Emmett spoke up. He had watched Renesmee struggle when she first took the venom and he felt guilty for allowing her to do so. He blamed himself now for whatever was happening to her.

"Renesmee's body reacted to the venom in more than one way. Yes, it poisoned her…but I think it was the dosage that did that now." Carlisle explained. "Because it seems like smaller doses…when she first started were not killing her right away."

"Well then what the hell were they doing?" Jacob asked. "I saw her…it looked like it was killing her."

"Her system reacted to it like a human's system would react to a drug." Carlisle went on. "She even said it…it was like the greatest high she has ever experienced; beyond anything naturally made…"

"What are you saying, Carlisle?" Bella asked.

Carlisle's thoughts were now clear and before Carlisle could answer Bella, Edward already heard the answer.

"Renesmee is going through withdrawal?" Edward looked at Carlisle, shocked. "Is that even possible?"

"She is part human." Carlisle said. "And with her history of drug use…"

"Drug use?" Bella exclaimed, shocked and horrified.

"She doesn't have a _history_." Jacob interjected. "Lighting up a joint here and there is not a _history_…its being a teenager."

"Joints?" Bella was in even more shock.

"Jacob, a vampire's personality is very addictive…" Carlisle started.

"Renesmee isn't all vampire." Jacob cut him off.

"She isn't all human though…" Edward sighed, reading more of Carlisle's thoughts. "She has gotten high off of weed?"

"A few times…Charlie caught her…" Carlisle explained, remembering Charlie calling him to discuss what to do about Renesmee's use of her time.

"No more than anyone else." Jacob defended Renesmee. He had never condoned her drug use but he certainly did not see it as the worst thing an immortal could do.

"But the venom was like a harder drug then…to her system." Edward deducted, ignoring Jacob.

"Correct." Carlisle said.

"So she is…acting like that because of the venom?" Alice asked.

"Or the lack of venom." Emmett was grinning a bit now.

"Why are you smiling?" Rosalie hit Emmett.

"As long as Renesmee isn't dying…" Emmett said. "That's all that matters."

"She is going through a drug withdrawal!" Rosalie snarled at her husband.

"But she will live through that…" Emmett said, and then his smile faded as he glanced toward Carlisle. "Wont' she?

"Renesmee has a long road ahead of her…but she will recover." Carlisle assured them. "This summer will be difficult for her…she will need all of our help."

"We should set a room up for her." Esme suggested. "There is the one near Bella and Edward's…"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. That's a good place to start."

"Is she even going to want to stay here?" Jasper asked.

"She won't have a choice." Carlisle said. "She needs to be monitored…"

"I…I should go be with her now…" Jacob said, moving out of the room and in the direction in which Renesmee had staggered off into.

"I…I can't believe this…" Bella sank back down onto the couch in shock.

"Bella…it's not so bad…she will be fine…" Edward moved to comfort his wife.

"Drugs?" Bella looked up blankly at Edward. "How did…if we could have found her sooner…Edward, this is all our fault."

Emmett chuckled a little. "Renesmee's use of weed is not your fault, Bella."

"I'm her mother…" Bella said.

"Bella…you of all people should get this…you haven't even been a vampire for ten years…kids occasionally smoke pot…whether their parents let them or not…" Rosalie said.

"And it wasn't a lot." Esme told Bella. "Charlie reprimanded her the few times it happened, trust me."

"Bella, don't beat yourself up over this, love." Edward told her. "Right now we need to focus on Renesmee getting better. When she is better…then you can be angry about this. Okay?"

Bella sighed after a moment and nodded. She knew Edward was right; they needed to be there for their little girl now more than ever.


	25. A long Road Ahead

**Disclaimer: **All characters and things associated with The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyers and Summit Entertainment. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

**Summary: **First in my own series set after _Breaking Dawn_. Set seven years after _Breaking Dawn_. After unforeseen circumstances, Renesmee Cullen is gone, but can her family bring her back and does she even want to be found?

**CHAPTER 24**

Jacob slowly opened the door to the room that Renesmee was resting in. He was hesitant about waking her up if she was asleep, but he had to check on her. He was relieved when he opened the door and she was sitting up on the bed, with her knees pulled up closer to her, her eyes staring out the window.

"Ness?" Jacob asked softly, closing the door behind him as he entered.

Renesmee turned to face him, her blonde curls falling over her shoulder. She could tell her roots were growing out; she would have to dye her hair soon or risk that same strange color locks her father possessed. "Yeah?"

"How are you feeling?" Jacob eased himself onto the bed next to her, unsure if he should touch her, he gently patted her back, almost awkwardly.

"You mean for a druggie?" Renesmee snorted, laughing slightly at herself as she shook her head.

"You're not a druggie." Jacob told her. "None of this…was in your control…"

"Well…I did take the stuff." Renesmee said.

"To help save your family." Jacob reminded her, and then nudged her a little. "You'll be okay. You're strong."

"You think?" Renesmee looked up at him, her mischievous grin on her face as she pushed Jacob down on the bed and began kissing his neck.

"No..not in here…Ness…" Jacob did all in his power to pull Renesmee off of him. He knew the Cullen's had good hearing.

"But…I am not going through a withdrawal right now. Who knows how sane I'll be in a few hours?" Renesmee joked.

Jacob laughed as she allowed him to sit up. "There is nothing more I want…then to be with you…but right now…"

"I know, I know…"crazy-druggie half-vampire-girlfriend-who-could-break-your-neck" over here." Renesmee pointed to herself. "Sex could be dangerous."

"Not to mention the house full of vampires…" Jacob teased back.

"Oh right…they can hear better then Charlie used to…" Renesmee said, but her smile faded as she said Charlie's name.

"Speaking of…old living arrangements…" Jacob started.

"I don't really want to talk about it." Renesmee stood, pacing the room a bit. She felt fidgety, no doubt a side-effect of the withdrawal.

"Well…we kind of need to." Jacob told her. "I mean…right now…you can't really be alone."

"No shit." Renesmee glared at Jacob, a hand on her hip. "Is it hot in here?"

"No hotter than usual." Jacob told her, noticing she was starting to sweat a bit. "Nessie, maybe sit down?"

Renesmee nodded, plopping herself down on the bed next to Jacob, laying out and closing her eyes.

"We can talk about this later, Nessie…" Jacob stood. "When you feel better."

"No. No." Renesmee shook her head, opening her eyes. "I'll be fine. It will pass."

"You sure?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah." Renesmee nodded, sitting up again. "But there isn't much to talk about. Like you said, I can't be alone right now."

"So what are you going to do?" Jacob asked.

Renesmee shrugged. "I guess…stay here for a little. I know I don't really have any other choice anyway…they aren't going to let me leave right now." She motioned to the door, indicating she meant all of the Cullen's.

"It won't be so bad…" Jacob said, a half smile on his face. "Your family doesn't suck as much as you think."

"I guess I'll find out…" Renesmee sighed, standing up and stretching before kissing Jacob on the forehead and then moving toward the door. She needed to get out of the little room for a little bit.

* * *

Esme, Alice, and Rosalie were already upstairs in the spare bedroom closes to Bella and Edward's; the spare room that would be Renesmee's bedroom. Esme and Rosalie were already busy measuring the walls for furniture while Alice sat on the floor, quickly flipping through a magazine, looking for things to order for her niece's room.

"Do you think she will want to be so close to Bella and Edward?" Rosalie asked.

"She doesn't have a choice." Esme said. "We can't put her downstairs…"

"Plus she is the only one who sleeps anyway." Alice reminded her blonde sister.

"Still…right next to your eternally teenage parents? Doesn't sound like fun…" Rosalie said, tossing the tape measure on the floor next to Alice.

"She will have to make it work for now." Esme said, glancing down at Alice and the magazine in her hand. "Alice…she does have stuff at Charlie's…"

"And I am sure it was wonderful furniture…for Charlie's taste…but he wasn't exactly Martha Stewart." Alice said.

"Still…if Renesmee wants to bring that stuff here she is welcome to. We should ask her before we order much of anything." Esme said.

"Yeah…what if she doesn't plan on staying here long anyway?" Rosalie asked the question that had been on everyone's mind. The question no one wanted to ask.

"Of course she would stay." Esme said.

Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "Well…for now…she has no choice. She needs Carlisle to keep an eye on her…but when she gets over this withdrawal thing…why would she stay?"

"Because we are her family." Alice said. "We are all she has…"

"She has Jacob." Rosalie said. "I mean, I don't want her leaving anymore than anyone else, but she does have other options. She barely knows us…"

"She will get to know us." Esme said. "And when she does, she will realize she wants to stay."

"Come on, Esme…I mean you have known her way longer then I have and I can still tell she isn't fond of us…" Rosalie said.

"She takes a while to warm up." Esme said. "That's all."

"Well, then we better start working on her. If she walks out, it would devastate Bella and Edward." Alice said.

Esme nodded. "We just have to make her feel at home. Starting with asking her if she wants her old furniture here…"

Alice huffed and rolled her eyes, clearly not satisfied with what Esme was saying but knowing she had no choice; Esme was right in this particular instance. Alice just hoped Renesmee was not as sentimental as Bella was when it came to keeping old, outdated, cheap things; like that terrible red Chevy Bella used to have.

* * *

Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett all sat silently next to each other on the long couch in the Cullen's living room. Emmett's hands head was in his hands, as if he were trying to wrap his mind around anything, while Carlisle's were covering his mouth, occasionally wiping down his face as if to snap himself back into reality. Jasper sat still, as a statue would, reading the emotions of Carlisle and Emmett.

"Can both of you stop beating yourselves up?" Jasper finally asked. He could feel it; Carlisle was guilty for not figuring out what was wrong with Renesmee sooner, for keeping Renesmee from her family, for Charlie's death, for everything. Emmett felt guilty for allowing Renesmee to take the venom, for taking his niece to the Volturi, for almost getting them all killed. The thing that Jasper didn't get is how either man thought everything was entirely their fault.

"Renesmee has a long road ahead of her…" Carlisle said.

"And we put her on it." Emmett added. "Why wouldn't we beat ourselves up about it?"

"Because it's not your faults." Jasper said. "Both of you did what you thought was the right thing for this family…you tried."

"I know it will take a long time for you all to forgive Esme and I for what we did…" Carlisle sighed. "But I am sure, someday, you will understand…"

"Believe me, everyone does." Jasper said, and he meant it; he could read everyone's emotions and even Bella and Edward were no longer angry at Carlisle and Esme.

"Anyway…you two kept her alive…Rosalie and I almost killed her." Emmett punched himself quickly in the head. "Shoulda known better."

"No one knew the effects the venom would have on her." Carlisle reminded Emmett.

"Still…" Emmett shrugged.

"It doesn't matter." Jasper said. "She is alright. Renesmee is one tough kid."

Carlisle laughed a little. "She certainly is…but right now, she is also vulnerable." The gears in Carlisle's head shifted from upset grandfather to doctor automatically. "With the vampire in her…even the little bit she is…her personality is much more addictive then a human."

"Why is that?" Emmett asked.

"It's in our nature to be addicted to things…blood, sex…give it years to develop right…its what we are." Jasper gave a small little grin.

"Jasper is right." Carlisle said. "We are easily addicted because our lives depended on it; that drive for more of whatever substance we think makes us feel alive…"

"So Renesmee is going to be on a super, huge withdrawal?" Jacob asked, slowly making his way out into the living room.

Carlisle looked up at the wolf and nodded. "She will need to be monitored…extremely closely."

"Shouldn't be too hard…if we can keep her here." Jasper said.

Jacob snorted. "That alone will be difficult enough. Trust me, Nessie is used to doing what she wants."

"Well, it is a must." Carlisle continued. "Renesmee will have to be weaned off of the venom. Taking her off it completely would be too risky…especially with the strength she has. It could get dangerous."

"Wait, so we are going to put more venom back in her?" Jacob asked. "But it almost killed her…"

"Yeah it did." Emmett nodded violently.

"It's the only way to get her off of it for good…without destroying her." Carlisle said. "A little a day…less and less each time…it won't kill her. I will monitor her, and Jasper, I will want you around her a lot…to control her temper and keep her calm."

Jasper nodded. "That won't be a problem."

"She won't be able to finish the school year out." Jacob realized; knowing it would crush Renesmee to be kept away from her friends that long. He could tell she felt bad enough cutting them off the past few weeks, but with so much happening, she had no choice. He also wanted her to try and get some normalcy back in her life, and school was normal for her; now Renesmee did not even have that.

"I will have Esme call…figure that part out. We can't worry about any of that now." Carlisle said. "We need to focus on Renesmee."

Jacob nodded after a moment, taking a deep breath. He knew Carlisle was right; Renesmee's life would be a little more complicated for a little while longer before anyone could help her start to pull the pieces back together again.

* * *

Edward and Bella made their way outside to the front porch of the house. Edward, knowing everyone was now safe and things would be okay, wanted to talk to Bella about everything that had gone on and what was in store for them.

Edward gently took Bella's hand, leading her to look out over the woods that surrounded the secluded house.

"How are you doing?" Edward asked, softly.

Bella seemed to stifle a bitter laugh. "How do you think I am doing?"

"Fair enough." Edward nodded, looking forward. He remained silent for a moment and then cleared his throat. "It's all going to be okay, you know."

Bella turned toward her husband. "How can you say that? Edward, the daughter we thought we lost seven years ago is back in our lives for a little less than three months and we have practically gotten her killed how many times?" She motioned back toward the house for emphasis. "Nessie is never going to forgive us."

"That's not true." Edward told her. "We have eternity to make this right with her, and we will."

Bella sighed, shaking her head. "Things just got so complicated so fast…"

Edward pulled Bella in close to his body, kissing her head slightly. "When has life with me every not been complicated?"

Bella looked up at her husband. She knew what Edward was doing; he did it here and there. He was blaming himself for turning Bella, for damning her to an eternity with him, and she hated when he did that. "I don't regret a single second of every being tied to you, Edward Cullen. Don't you start thinking any differently."

Edward just nodded, but remained silent.

Bella sighed again. "What if Renesmee doesn't want to stay here?"

"She has to. At least for now." Edward had heard Carlisle's thoughts earlier, about how Renesmee had no choice but to stay. "Carlisle needs to keep an eye on her."

"But it doesn't mean she has to stay under our roof for him to do that." Bella said. "And Renesmee seems pretty determined to get as far away from us as she can…"

"She has nowhere to go." Edward said. "And she is our daughter. We are not going to lose her again, I promise you."

"I couldn't bare it." Bella admitted. "Not again. Not when I know she is alive now. She can hate me forever, as long as I know she is safe."

"She isn't going to hate you forever." Edward tried to assure his wife.

"You don't know that…" Bella sighed.

"Yes I do." Edward caught his fingers under Bella's chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Because _you _are impossible to hate, Mrs. Cullen."

Bella smiled a little at Edward's comment. Despite the fact that she was still upset with everything that had gone on with Renesmee, Bella could always find relief, comfort in Edward. "I guess we will see…"

"Yes we will." Edward told her. "Nessie will get used to us again, Bella. We just have to give her the chance…we have the whole summer to change her mind…"

"If she decides to stay." Bella reminded her husband again.

"Well, her choices are very limited at this time…" Renesmee's voice was loud, coming from behind her parents.

Both Bella and Edward turned to see Renesmee leaning against the open doorframe of the front door, her arms folded across her chest and her hair pulled up in a loose ponytail. She looked frailer then the first time they had seen her, but much better then she had a few hours ago.

"So…uh…looks like I'll be sticking around…for a little…" Renesmee kicked imaginary dirt off the steps, careful to look at her feet instead of her parents.

Bella stood, shocked at the calm demeanor Renesmee was giving off; almost as if the girl were shy.

"So…um…I could probably use some help…moving some stuff over from Charlie's place…" Renesmee slowly looked up, making eye contact with her parents. "I'm not sure how long I'll be…you know…messed up…or going through withdrawal…or whatever…but I feel good now. I'd like to move some stuff before I feel like crap."

"Sure." Edward nodded. "I'll go get Emmett. I am sure he would love to help."

Renesmee gave her father a small, grateful smile, as he walked past her and into the house, leaving Bella and Renesmee on the front steps alone.

"Uh…look…" Renesmee said to Bella, after a moment of silence. "You should know…I don't…I don't hate you." Renesmee took a deep breath. "I mean…I don't particularly like you…but I don't hate you." She looked away from Bella, running a hand through her hair, flipping her bangs up over her head in a messy style that resembled Edward's. "That's all I can give you for now."

Bella nodded slowly unable to hide a small smile, understanding how much Renesmee struggled to just say that. She would take that much from her daughter, for now, if that was all Renesmee could give her. "That's more than enough."

Renesmee laughed a little to herself and then just nodded at Bella, turning back into the house.

Bella stood outside for a moment longer. She knew Renesmee had a long summer ahead of her, and that even after that, the entire family had a lot to work on. So many things had been lost, so many memories destroyed, so much disillusion since they had all thought Renesmee had been taken from them. Now that they were back, the Cullen's were going to have to work hard to be the family they once were; the family they had been when Renesmee was the highlight of everyone's day.

**THE END**


	26. Playlist for Story

**Solar Day: Sunrise Playlist**

1. They Move On Tracks of Never Ending Light – This Will Destroy You

2. F.N.T - Semisonic

3. City On Down – O.A.R.

4. Enjoy the Silence – It Dies Today

5. Bitch – Meredith Brooks

6. Different - Acceptance

7. What I've Done – Linkin Park

8. Say When – The Fray

9. Permanent – David Cook

10. New Beginnings - Finch

11. Disappearing World – David Gray

12. Please Don't Go - Barcelona

13. Still Waiting – Sum 41

14. Black Out - Muse

15. They Can't Save Us Now - Kill Hannah

16. Blinding - Florence + the Machine

17. Meds – Placebo

18. Sigh No More – Mumford and Sons

19. There For You - Flyleaf

20. In My Place - Coldplay


End file.
